(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The objective of the commercial compliance and consumer protection sector is to mobilise all resources to serve the society and create a safe economic environment, according to a senior official at the Department of Economic Development-Dubai( DED).
Adnan Hussain, director for development of control operations at DED, said the sector works on creating ways to enlighten traders and consumers with laws and regulations which contribute effectively towards improving relations between customers and enhancing confidence of consumers. "Many projects have been launched to boost the principle of commercial commitment and ingrain them in the minds of businessmen," he said. The DED's aim is to receive the lowest number of violations as possible, he added. Hussain highlighted the self-inspector initiative - the first of its kind in the region. The initiative aims to train and qualify eligible candidates in compliance regulations and introduce them to irregularities most likely among business establishments. The initiative, he said, had helped raise awareness especially among trade establishments as their respective employees were trained on the laws. "An incentive programme was rolled out for trade groups adhering to the laws and conditions on the basis of the outcome of the inspection visits after the end of the training and qualifying period," he recalled. The sector had earlier rolled out the consumer-friendly establishments system through which trade establishments which scores the highest evaluation by the consumer in terms of the prices, quality service offered and other criteria will be selected and awarded," he noted. Another initiative, the "Happiness inspection" was also launched to enlighten newly-set up trade companies, and those which were not inspected, with rules and regulations. They were also given a grace period to clear the causes that led to the irregularities. "Our awareness programmes are ongoing, as we at the DED believe that commitment to the laws and regulations will help benefit the trader, consumer and all members of society," he added. Beware of men posing as govt reps The Department of Economic Development - Dubai (DED) has warned trade establishments to beware of people posing as government officials and forcing them to pay for advertising in magazines and leaflets. Hassan Banfour, senior director of field surveillance section at the DED, said some traders lodged complaints with the authority in this regard. "Some of those people claimed to be repre senting government departments, and threatened to book the traders if they did not pay up for the ads," he said. Banfour said some individuals were arrested after the DED carried out inspection campaigns. He said most of the traders did not fall into the trap of the conmen, which illustrates that they are well aware of the laws and regulations enforced in the emirate, and their keenness in protecting their rights. "The conmen showed up at establishments on national holidays and tried to promote bogus events to siphon money from the traders," said Banfour. The DED has advised traders to report such fraudsters to the police and DED. Man leaves his vehicle in workshop, but gets Dh2,800 in traffic fines A motorist filed a complaint with the Department of Economic Development - Dubai (DED) against an auto workshop, claiming he was booked for traffic offences when the car was left in the shop. A day after he left his car at the workshop, he received a text message from the traffic police about accumulating Dh2,800 in traffic fines, he said. "It wasn't me who was behind the wheel when the offences were committed," he told the police and the DED. According to Ayman Al Falasi, senior director of the consumer complaints section, the complainant approached the DED, saying he had left his car at the workshop to get some repairs done. "When the complainant logged on to the traffic violations system to find more details about the offences committed, he found that they were committed when the car was in the workshop." The complainant called the workshop, but did not receive any reply. The next day, he received more text messages about violations recorded against his car. That was when he approached the DED. An officer at the consumer complaints section reviewed the complaint and the reported traffic offences, and ensured that the violations took place while the vehicle was in the workshop. The officer contacted the workshop manager and asked him to explain why the traffic offences were recorded when the car in question was in his shop. The manager said one of his workers drove the car to visit an automobile spare parts shop to make some purchases for the car. The officer prepared a list of violations registered against the car while it was kept in the shop and directed the owner to pay the Dhs2,800 in fines.
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