Ledger: Buy high quality goods

In an effort to crack down on inferior goods and services in the country, Director of the Bureau of Standards, Ezra Ledger strongly advises consumers to purchase goods and services that are of a higher quality.

Ledger told the SEARCHLIGHT that while his department could take the “big stick” approach and demand that goods and services are of a higher quality, the demise comes when the consumers purchase these inferior products.{{more}}

He noted that if there is not a demand for these products and services, the importers would not bring them into the country, but since the consumers have the “buying power” retailers would always import what they could sell.

The Director admitted that while higher quality goods and services would ensure safer and better health standards, it could however translate into steeper costs for the consumer who is always seeking ways to save money.

He however pointed out that the consumer may be saving more money if they buy one quality product that could last them several years rather than to buy the same product at a substandard level which they may have to replace several times over the years.

Ledger noted that as part of it’s effort to crack down on inferior goods and services a massive media campaign to educate

consumers on what they should get for their hard earned money would be disseminated.

He said that the next step in cracking down on inferior goods and services would be to give technical assistance and to educate the various retailers and manufacturers on what the standard of their products should be. He expounded that a notification and a grace period would be given for people to comply with these regulations, but that when this grace period ends and they do not adhere, severe penalties could be enforced.

The Director pointed out that St Vincent and the Grenadines is a signatory to the World Trade Organisation, WTO and it like other countries has to observe international standards to ensure that these goods and services could be traded.

The Standards Bureau head finally encouraged both the retailers and consumers to ensure that they always have quality products and services despite the cost, since their health and safety often times depended on it if they used inferior or expired products.