There is a need to look at whether the existing FCCC legislation is sufficient as it does not specifically have any provisions that says price gouging is illegal.
This has been highlighted by FCCC CEO Joel Abraham on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, who says there are general provisions under which they can take the matter to court, but specifically, it does not say that businesses cannot price gouge.
He says they have managed to get support from the Asian Development Bank, and the Ministry of Commerce as well, and a professor who worked on the Australian law is working with Fiji’s Chief Legal Counsel to look at all the amendments that are required to modernize the FCCC Act.
He says they are almost on the verge of completing this work and are looking at the end of this financial year to provide some sort of indication to the Government on the areas they want amendments in.
Abraham says they are quite optimistic that in the next financial year, the Government will look at it as he says the dedication he has seen from Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica on these matters shows that the Government is really interested and serious about consumer protection in Fiji.
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