Yemen Observer: http://www.yobserver.com
Posted in:
Business & Economy
Written By: Faisal Darem
Article Date: May 10, 2008 - 6:45:30 AM
Supreme committee for consumer protection to be established
The Cabinet approved a draft law of consumer protection and referred it to the Parliament for final approval during its regular meeting held on April 29. The draft law was prepared by Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with Yemeni Society for Consumer Protection and representatives from private sector.
The proposed legislation of consumer protection is aimed to protect consumers by means of strengthening the penalties of violators and consumer compensation. It identifies the general rules of consumer protection to ensure health and safety of goods and services, quality, and transparency of economic dealings where the consumer is the essential part among theses factors. This law also aims to protect consumers from commercial cheats, deceptive advertising, and prevent exploitation of consumer, as well as maintaining the economic system for community to ensure healthy development in free market, says Dr. Yahya al-Mutawakil, Minister of Industry and Trade.
The consumer law is the first priority of the ministry because it is important for the health and economy of Yemen, as well as a requirement for Yemen’s participation in the global economy and the WTO.
“There is no doubt that an approved consumer law needs to create appropriate legislation to take care of the interest of the consumer, as well as protecting the national economy,” said al-Mutawakil. “Consumer law will create a good relationship between the producer and importer on one hand, and the consumer on the other hand.”
Al-Mutawakil continued, saying, “The ministry will serve as an organizer of industrial and commercial activities, and an observer on market performance and production and quality of the goods, due to protecting competition and preventing monopoly.”
The government last year withdrew its consumer protection draft law, removing it from consideration by the Parliament. The decision was made in order to revise the laws to accommodate the latest economic, commercial, and legislative developments. Thus, an “Enriching Consumer Law” workshop was held last year, to improve and develop consumer law according to consumer interests and national interests. This law is developed in conformity with free market economic policies.Mohammed al-Mokteri, Chairman of the Yemeni Society for Consumer Protection’s legal sector, said the importance of consumer rights and the efforts made on behalf of the association prepared the first draft of the law, owing to the comparative legislation in the area of consumer protection in numerous countries.
“Today is the time of globalization, based on the amendment of laws, and no one is able to resist it,” said Hamoud al-Bokhiti, General Director of the Center for Consumer Studies and Research. “The government should save the lives of its people. The government pulled this law from consideration because it ignores many important points which we are here to complete.”
Consumer issues must be brought to the urgent courts, not to ordinary courts, to prevent violators selling their expired foodstuffs, he added.
The law must include the consumer’s right to compensation if the foods they buy are expired. The government should learn from the experience of countries that have the same law, according to the global, social, and economic rights, said al-Bokhiti. “I think that good consumer law means protecting both the rights of the consumer and the producer at the same time.”
“The death sentence is suitable punishment for smugglers who have brought in dangerous substances such as pesticides, which kill both the land and humans. So, I find smugglers of pesticides deserving death. I consider that consumer compensation at fault of the smugglers,” he said.
Donia Abdullah al-Robaidi, a government employee, said that citizens in most developing countries are not so sophisticated in the way they are selecting the products they are consuming.
People should be aware of such problems since our markets are dumped with several imitated products with low qualities, effecting our health and reducing the body’s immune system and causing severe diseases, al-Robaidi said. From these important points appear the main rule of the association of protecting consumers and the Ministry of Trade since they are responsible for this important mission. By conducting different campaigns through the quarters and villages, they can increase the awareness of people by making them aware that quality should be one of the priorities in consuming products and explaining how it might effect their daily lives.
The Cabinet directed the Minister of Industry and Trade in coordination with the Ministry of Legal Affairs to follow the completion of constitutional procedures for issuance of this law.