Sri Lankan consumer rights enter digital era today

Wednesday, 15 March 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

34th World Consumer Rights Day celebrated in Colombo today
CAA is lead organiser of this afternoon’s Nelum Pokuna WCRD event
President, Consumer I’ntl Director Sharma at WCRD event
Today’s CAA Twitter awards to showcase SL digital consumer rights
Minister Bathiudeen joining President to launch CAA Digital Platform

Along with Sri Lanka’s 34th World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) celebrations, the country is also launching its first consumer-oriented digital platform service today (15).

President Maithripala Sirisena and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen are scheduled to unveil the first consumer-oriented national social media platform by the country’s apex safeguard agency, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) this afternoon at Nelum Pokuna theatre during the Colombo celebrations of 34th World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD).

At today’s event, many academics from leading local universities will be making presentations on social media, development of consumer rights, e-laws and policies for digital age, along with an awards presentation for winners of the CAA Twitter competition. Consumers International’s Regional Project Officer for Asia and Pacific Satya Sharma is scheduled to make a special presentation on regional and global consumer trends and developments in the digital age.

According to Consumers International, WCRD is an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers, for demanding that those rights are respected and protected, and for protesting the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them. The theme of this year’s WCRD is ‘Building a Digital World Consumers can Trust’.

World Consumer Rights Day was initiated as a result of US President John F. Kennedy’s speech to US Congress on Consumer Rights, delivered on 15 March 1962. Since then, 15 March is considered World Consumer Rights Day. The first WCRD was observed in 1983.