We have no vibrant consumer body, the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) was sold to the public when it was established that it would be our Knight in shinning armour. When Minister Lynette Eastmond was appointed to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, she was very enthusiastic but of late she seems to have faded under the weight of big government, or is it a case of incompetence? Somebody needs to step up to the plate.
Does anyone know if there are any international consumer organizations which we can interest in this matter?
Personal attention of Anthony Nicholls
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Commercial,
Consumer Affairs and Business Development
Your ref: FTC 60/8/1 T10
Concerns regarding operations of Opera Telecom
Thank you for your letter dated 29th November 2007, mailed on 10th December and received by myself on 13th December 2007 in response to my emails dated 29th September and 2nd October 2007. You mention in the letter ‘In view of the direct response given to yourself by the Fair Trading Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Business Development considers the matter to be closed at this stage’.
I am at an absolute loss how your Ministry can consider this ‘matter to be closed’.
Despite the assurances given by the Fair Trading Commission up until 14th November (one month ago), a list of the ‘winners’ of the Barbados Lucky Numbers competition has still not been published to date. The company (Opera Interactive (Barbados) Ltd has continued to breach the Consumer Protection Act. CAP 326D, and as recently as 2nd December 2007, published an ‘ad’ which did not contain the name of the competition operator.
The FTC, in its letter dated 14th November 2007, gave the assurance that Opera Interactive (Barbados) Limited had supplied it with a list of ‘winners’ and that the FTC had contacted by telephone to confirm these ‘winners’ were ‘bona fide’. This in itself I find quite remarkable, as the winning number remained the same throughout the competition, and an observer one is left with the only conclusion reachable, that the ‘winners’ all chose the same number.
I would respectfully remind you that the company that launched this and other competitions in Barbados, had as its common director, Gary Corbett, was also the chairman/CEO of a UK registered entity called Opera Telecom. And that this company has had at least 21 successful awards against for breeching regulatory conditions of operation including the highest ever fine in the UK.
I cannot understand the reluctant by the FTC to ensure that a full list of ‘winners’ is published for the Barbados Lucky Numbers, Caribbean Phone Idol and other competitions that Opera Interactive (Barbados) Limited has promoted in Barbados.
Yours Faithfully
Adrian Loveridge
14 December 2007
copied to:
Fair Trading Commission
The Office of Public Counsel
Minister Lynette Eastmond
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