National Consumer Protection, Weights And Measures Week Is March 1-7

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA) will celebrate the 17th Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), and Weights and Measures Week concurrently with educational activities and an open house during the week of March 1-7.

As part of its NCPW activities, DLCA’s Consumer Protection Services staff on St. Thomas will conduct informational presentations on consumer protection issues at various elementary, junior high, and high schools on the island. On St. Croix, similar student presentations will take place at DLCA’s office in the Golden Rock Shopping Center.

Inspectors from the Weights and Measures Unit, which is a part of the Consumer Protection Services Division will also be conduct in-school presentations and in-office sessions in order to expose students to the varied functions of weights and measures, and how these functions affect the community.

Devin Carrington, DLCA commissioner designee, praised the annual effort.

“Students are excellent conduits for disseminating information to parents and when we inform students, we inform the entire family,” he said. “We also begin early, the process of cultivating wise young consumers.”

Furthermore, information on consumer protection and weights and measures will be made available in the lobbies of the DLCA offices on St. Thomas and St. Croix.

“The purpose of these presentations is to equip consumers with the knowledge and tools to make wise purchasing decisions, to get the most out of their money and to avoid potential risks,” Carrington said.

On Feb. 13, DLCA wrapped up a subpoena of the territory’s gas stations in an effort to assess the gasoline purchasing practices and pricing of owners. It was conducted in response to the high gas prices consistently seen at the territory’s gas station, at a time when oil prices had plummeted worldwide. The results of the subpoena have not yet been made public.

To close out the week’s activities, both the Consumer Protection and Weights and Measures Units will host an open house on Friday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The general public is invited to attend and learn more about DLCA’s initiatives. Staff will be on hand to share information and answer questions. Attendees may also sign up to receive email updates, tips, and announcements,  such as DLCA’s weekly gas and food basket surveys designed to provide guidance on retailers offering the lowest prices. The St. Thomas open house will take place at the Property & Procurement Conference room in Subbase on the first floor. The St. Croix open house will be held at DLCA’s office in the Golden Rock Shopping Center.

Feature Image Credit: BET