Both the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality and the Consumer Affairs Bureau are set for expansion this year.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox on Friday announced a total of $241,000 would be set aside for the two agencies in the 1999 budget.

"The Ministry of Development and Opportunity will receive an additional $190,000 to establish a consumer protection office,'' Mr. Cox said.

"In the Throne Speech we promised legislation to address the issue of consumer protection, and staff are required to enforce the provisions of law.

"Government highlighted in its Throne Speech its intention to educate employers to the existence of employment racism and to assist them in understanding how to reduce bad practices.

"An education officer will be appointed to the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality and funded at a cost of $51,000 to follow through on the promise made to expand the role of CURE.'' And Terry Lister, whose Ministry of Development and Opportunity oversees the agencies, told The Royal Gazette the funds would take them both to a new level.

"Both of these departments are important, but -- believe it or not -- they are one-woman departments,'' he said.

"We the country have gotten by...but its not OK any more and we need to move on from that.'' The education officer will be responsible for preparing educational materials and conducting the subsequent educational process for employers, Mr. Lister said.

"They will enlighten the employer as to what needs to be done to work in an environment where equality is seen to exist.'' And he went on to say the $190,000 will be used to boost the current one woman Consumer Affairs Bureau to a three person department.

Eventually the office will relocate from the shared premises of the Community and Cultural Affairs department.

However, Mr. Lister pointed out officials were still reviewing a consumer affairs report from last year.

And he said Government was working to determine "how we can best protect consumers via legislation''.

Once all the developments were in place, the current Consumer Affairs Bureau would become the Consumer Protection Office.

"The new name will really reflect what we want to do, which is protect the individual, the consumer,'' said Mr. Lister.