Right of Consumer to know the Right Products ^Featured

This has been the main message at the three-day “Minimum Energy Performance Standards and Labelling (MEPSL) for Appliances & Lighting” training at the Tungi Colonade here in Nuku’alofa on Friday 13 November 2015.

A consultant from the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji and training facilitator Mr George Wilkenfield said his role in this training is to advise the Customs, Energy
and Commerce Departments here in Tonga about the technicalities of an energy standard regulation.

“Because what Tonga is planning to do here is to set a minimum energy standard for a number of products like air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and certain kind of appliances,” he said.

“It is important that everyone knows what the minimum efficiency levels are, the kind of technical standards that the regulations talks about.” Meanwhile,  Mr Wikenfield emphasised that the public will benefit from this training.

“So the public will benefit because when everything is operating poor quality products will not be allowed to be imported in Tonga,” he said.

“The cost of electricity will be much more than when you used to buy such electrical equipment and items because you may be paying a few more pa’anga to buy something with a few more star rating.

“When you buy something with a higher star rating it will cost you less electricity so that means if you buy something with a higher star rating it will save you money.” Mr Wilkefield said in order to get to that stage it means all the people in Government must agree to make the system work.

“So what we are doing in this training is we are not talking to the people now but we are talking to the people inside the Government so that everybody knows what they need to do to make the system work,” he added.

Ms Sandra Fifita from the Consumer Unit of the Ministry of Labour and Commerce also attended the training.

She said they were there to uphold and to establish a closer working relationship with the Energy Department and Customs in trying to establish an energy labelling system, starting from refrigerators, freezers and light bulbs and light tubes.

“The importance of this training is that it teaches us how to help the consumer and families in making sure that the products they are buying from the shop
will last long,” she said.

“Sometimes we look at goods with expensive prices and do not want to buy them, opting for cheaper goods instead.

“But we understand that we are here to help the consumer know the refrigerator they are buying with an expensive price tag because of its higher star rating will cost them less electricity and will last long.

“The main role of Consumer Unit is to take care of the rights of a consumer,” she added. A representative from the Crown Law office was also at the training to explain the legal issues before establishing the system.

Customs also plays a major role in checking the goods and products. This is Phase 1 of the training which included representatives from the Energy Department, Labour and Commerce, Customs and Crown Law.

The training was co-funded by the Australian Aid and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).