The Consumer Affairs Com-mission (CAC) last year settled 89 per cent or 1,641 of the more than 1,800 complaints received, and secured in excess of $46 million on behalf of aggrieved consumers.

Chief executive officer of the CAC, Dolsie Allen, said it was a record breaking year in which, of the amount collected, $25 million or 56 per cent accounted for 52 claimants of substandard cement.

More than previous year

She said the amount far exceeded the $18 million and $17 million, which were collected in the two previous years.

"We have seen steady increase in the compensation level," she stated.

Meanwhile, the CEO said that there has been a reduction in the number of complaints, while more persons were calling the CAC for advice before making purchases. She credited the increase in consumer awareness to the commission's aggressive public education outreach programme.