Minister for Trade Premila Kumar has presented a paper to cabinet last week in regards to competition and consumer protection laws.

Launching the new Consumer Council Office and logo in Suva last night, Kumar revealed that there is a need for a legal framework to give consumers’ rights.

Kumar says this will also ensure that traders are more responsible.

Competition is something that we often talk about but in true sense competition has not really moved much in the country. One reason is because of the laws that we have – there is lack of clarity. And secondly, there is this understanding that competition is all about goods. And competition is nothing to do with services. So we would like to drive that change and make people understand that competition must exist with services as well.

She adds there has also been a number of jurisdiction where competition has benefitted the economy and that is what Fiji needs.

The Minister says the government and international community now recognize consumer rights and the new CCF office which is located on level 5 of Vanua House will boost consumer services.