Editorial
A NecessaryPartnership
The rumor circulating though not forthe first time - that there was an official move a-foot to devaluethe Cayman dollar to be on par with the US dollar, besides sendingshudders for those who maintain their accounts in CI currency,must also give a ray of hope to consumers constantly faced withoverpriced goods and services because the CI dollar costs arecompounded by 20 percent.
Although denied by Government that the Cayman dollar will be reducedin value to be on par with the US, in these dire economic timeswhich have seen the depletion of business activity right acrossthe board, every entity, more so the media, have a fundamentalrole to promote discussion of consumer issues. After all, eachmember of the private-sector business community is a consumerand this must never be overlooked.
In a recent letter to the editor, one writer has suggested thateven Cayman Airways can help set the pace for reduction in pricing.We dare also proffer that there will be a multiple factor in spending,if certain government and financial administration fees are reduced instead of escalated so that there will be more moneyfor the consumer to spend.
We must acknowledge the social role and responsibility of thebusiness community to take their companies' success seriouslyby debating with themselves, how can they meet consumer issuesin terms of the cost of goods and services. Both consumers andthe private business sector can benefit from development of strongalliances between the two groups.
It is strongly recommended, therefore, that:
u business organisations and advocates actively seekto establish solid beneficial relationships with the public throughconscionable mark-ups and exchange of information with other businessesand staff training - particularly in the area of costumer relations,
u consumer groups and organisations work with thegovernment, business sectors, and civil society to encourage theiruse of the media as a means of widespread communication when importantconsumer information is to be disseminated,
u consumer groups and business organisations shouldnegotiate to gain access to the media, whether print or electronic,as a means to informing and educating people of the availabilityof goods and services.
Media institutions are central to the activities and effectivefunctioning of the consumer rights lobby. It is through radio,television and the printed media that citizens can best be informedabout their rights as consumers and about prices, quality of serviceand new products on the market.
For example, there should be a make-up of immediate central partnership,between government, the private business sector and the consumer and then perhaps there will be little doubt that the mostimportant and largest group of citizens, the consumers, are leftout of any planning to resuscitate the economy .
The time has come, surely, for the above tripartite approach.In this way, we shall then be able to embrace the wider issuesthat affect all other public and civil issues that help to makeup the social and economic impact on our country.
Despite the drained resources of the consumer movement, we stillhave to make sure that our message is more effective and sustained.
Liberalisation in Cayman's commitment to a free market has broughtwith it the absence of price controls. In some ways this is agood thing. On the other hand, too much advantage and greed havehelped to create the present economic downturn. Now, more thanever, consumers need all the help they can get from providers,products, prices and services.
There is an important role for both consumer organisations andmedia practitioners to assist the public in finding the best pricesand services. This must not be occasional and should involve allstakeholders.