The Editor, Sir:

THE OUR'S Letter of the Day in The Gleaner on Saturday has left me and, I am almost sure, all consumers wondering as to who are the protectors of the consumers of this country.

I would like the Hon. Philip Paulwell to advise consumers what agencies of government have been nominated for the purpose of correcting the wrongs meted out to consumers.

I keep asking the following questions and to date no answers. I am again asking the Minister to advise all customers why action has not been taken against the utilities companies for their breach of contract with customers.

The utilities must provide payment facilities for payments of their bills. They have arbitrarily outsourced payment facilities to private sector companies and those companies are now charging consumers fees to pay utilities. For a government who says it is here to protect the poor, how do you account for the fact that poor people who cannot afford to pay their utility bills in one payment are now called upon to pay a fee each time a payment is made against such bills?

Now, because the payments agencies have got away with this most immoral act, NCB has now decided to charge and I imagine that other banks and building societies will do the same.

The Government should join with consumers to take all the utilities companies to court so that we can get redress.

I sincerely hope that, though very belated, the minister will now take on the baton on behalf of consumers.

I am, etc.,

BARBARA COVER

Kingston 6