Caption: Consumer Council of Fiji CEO Premila Kumar. Photo: SHALENDRA PRASAD.
The Consumer Council of Fiji will be organising a 4 day workshop on “Managing Conflicts and Resolving Disputes through Mediation”, from 16th to 19th September 2013 at the Novotel Hotel, Lami.
This workshop is an initiative under the Council’s EU funded project titled, “Creating Fair Marketplace for Consumers through Consumer Information and Redress Mechanisms”. Honorable Mr. Justice Anthony H.C.T. Gates and Mr. Jerome Pons, Head of the Economic and Social Section at Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific will officiate this workshop.
Mediation is a best bet for consumers to get their complaints resolved in a speedier, cost effective and efficient manner.
Thus, providing further training to mediators is necessary especially when consumers are becoming more forthcoming with their complaints. It becomes necessary to enhance and develop mediation skills to ensure disputes/conflicts are resolved in an amicable way where the disputing parties can have a win-win situation. The mediation workshop will target the Small Claims Tribunal Referees, Consumer Council of Fiji and Fiji Commerce Commission mediators, Legal Officers at Legal Practitioner’s Unit, and Legal Practitioners around Fiji.
Through this workshop, the Council will also be accentuating the need for the establishment of a Consumer Tribunal. This tribunal is proposed to deal with consumer complaints, particularly, complaints against goods and services purchased for personal use.
This workshop is in collaboration with the Judicial Department of Fiji and the Fiji Commerce Commission.
PREMILA KUMAR
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER