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Questions on Profile Three (Part III)
Yvonne
Harvey, Contributor
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| A
scene from the schoolboy hockey
match between Munro College and
Excelsior, played at the Mona
Hockey Field, Mona, March 13.
- Winston Sill Photo |
HELLO
MY friends. This week's profile three
question is taken from the January 2006,
General past paper, question number
eight. The question is:
Government
has a responsibility to protect consumers
as well as to provide a climate for
businesses to survive.
(a)
State TWO reasons why consumers need
protection. (4 mks)
(b)
Identify THREE ways in which the government
of your country can ensure that consumers'
safety and well-being are protected.
(6
mks)
(c)
Discuss THREE ways in which the government
may help businesses to succeed. (6
mks)
(d)
State TWO ways by which the government
can ensure that businesses protect
the environment. (4 mks)
Total
: 20 marks
Now,
for my discussion and guideline answers.
I hope they will help you in getting
a fair understanding of the question.
Discussion
and guideline answers.
(a)
There are many reasons why consumers
need to be protected. These reasons
include the fact that they receive:
- Short
change, short weights and short
measurements
-
Unsafe and poor quality products
- Misleading
price reductions and false sales
-
False claims about products
- Insufficient
goods for their money
-
Unfair treatment when faulty goods
are returned,
etc.
In
addition, consumers are not always
able to make a good assessment of
the goods they buy. They cannot protect
themselves and therefore need to be
protected.
Candidates
should state clearly any TWO reasons
for consumer protection.
(b)
Some of the ways in which the government
can ensure that consumers? safety
and well-being are protected are:
By setting up consumer protection
agencies such the Ombudsman, the Bureau
of Standards and the Consumer Affairs
Commission.
By educating and advising consumers
through pamphlets, radio and TV programmes.
Through the introduction of penalties
for producers and sellers who show
lack of regard for consumers.
By passing legislation/laws that ensure
consumer protection, e.g., processed
food acts, Public Health Act, The
Standard Act and The Food and Drugs
Act.
By the control and supervision of
prices.
By enforcing fair trading practices.
By supervising hire purchase and credit
control, etc.
(c)
Government can help businesses to
succeed by:
Giving them loans with little or no
interest to be paid back.
Allowing them subsidies and grants
which result in the lowering of costs
of production.
Providing business educational opportunities
free or at very low cost.
Allowing the importation of essential
raw materials duty free.
Providing free zone areas for the
location of businesses.
Reducing corporation tax which reduces
overall costs and boosts profits.
Assisting businesses in finding markets
and in the marketing of their products,
etc.
For
this part of the question, the THREE
points selected must be properly discussed
to score full marks.
(d)
The protection of the environment
has become increasingly important.
The government can ensure that businesses
protect the environment by:
Introducing a pollution tax.
Taking over the production where businesses
fail to protect the environment.
Passing legislation or laws against
practices that damage the environment.
Having inspectors go around and ensure
that practices are not damaging to the
environment.
Giving warnings which if not adhered
to, result
in the business being taken to court
or some other action.
Encouraging the location of businesses
in special
areas where their production practices
will not harm the environment, etc.
I
hope you found this question interesting.
The profile three questions for next
week will be based on demand and supply.
Please revise this area in preparation
for next week. The five laws of demand
and supply and the factors related
to these laws will be important in
answering the questions.
Keep
safe until next week.
*
Yvonne Harvey teaches at Glenmuir
High School.
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