The Consumer Affairs Department will have legal teeth and businesses selling inferior goods will be liable for heavy fines under the Consumer Protection Act.

Chief Executive Officer Karen Marshall said her department copied similar bodies in the UK and America and would take a proactive approach by launching public awareness campaigns.

Ms Marshall, who currently runs the Consumer Affairs Bureau, said: "We will be more educational. We want to make the consumer a wiser person.

"We aren't proactive at all at the moment because we don't have the pull. But we will become more proactive in things like public safety and we will be going into schools with task force groups.

"We are hooking up with consumer affairs departments around the world and sussing out how to operate and make sure we go in the right direction.'' Ms Marshall said e-commerce would also provide new challenges but the bulk of the department's work would be consumer related.

The present team of four is expected to double over the next ten years. The department is now advertising for an inspector and an administration assistant.

"We have a plan already sussed out but it will depend on how the public perceive us,'' said Ms Marshall.

The department will make test purchases and investigate new products arriving in Bermuda as well as probe complaints from the public.

Last year, complaints leapt to 4,100 from the previous year's figure of 3,483.

Currently landlord tenant disputes and gripes about car repairs top the list of irritants but housing matters will now be handled solely by the rent control department.

Ms Marshall said the public would also have to get used to a new way of making complaints.

"People used to call us but now they will have to come in a fill out a form and sign it. The problem in Bermuda is everyone wants to remain anonymous.''