We congratulate the attorney-general for proposing the implementation of the long awaited No Fault Liability Scheme. Although this scheme was mooted a long time ago, it was shot down a couple of times for reasons best known to the authorities themselves.

We are glad that we now see a will in the AG in wanting to push for the implementation of this long- awaited scheme. We believe that the implementation of this scheme will bring on many benefits to the consumer as all parties involved in a traffic mishap would be able to obtain compensation in the shortest possible time.

The current system has been plagued by many abuses. Accident victims are shortchanged at every level before the award amount reaches them. And when the award does reach them, a bulk of it goes towards professional fees. They are at the mercy of lawyers - be they for plaintiffs or defendants - who cash in on the misery of these victims.

High contingency fees are charged although the lawyers' Practice & Etiquette Rules clearly forbid the charging of contingency fees. Touts prey on accident victims. Police and medical reports are manipulated in order to shift fault and 'inflate' injuries. Complaints has been received that interest is charged on monies advanced to the victims.

All this has been going on for a long time now and public grievances are heard at all levels. The new No Fault Liability Scheme will be able to clean up the mess while benefitting consumers .

As the AG pushes on with the implementation of this scheme, it is important that he is guided by the principles of transparency. The public must know the mechanics of the proposed implementation. Questions like how this proposed scheme is to be funded, what type of losses would be compensated, what is the proposed cap on damages, what is the lead time before a claim is settled, who will administer this scheme, among other questions, would require deliberation and feedback from all stakeholders.

The draft bill must be public for debate as its implementation would affect each and everyone of us on the street. The AG should not succumb to pressure from any party but work for the best interest of the public when implementing this proposed No Fault Liability Scheme.

The writer is director, National Consumer Complaints Center (NCCC).