2 -
4.
First, the jurisdiction of the Tribunal is to
be increased from $5,000 to $8,000. The existing limit
of $5,000 has applied since February 1982. The past four
years have seen some change in the value of money. And
meanwhile the jurisdiction of the District Court, where
claims in excess of $5,000 have to be lodged, has increased
from $40,000 to $60,000. The proposed increase in
jurisdiction to $8,000 will make the advantages of the
Tribunal's services more widely available. The Bar
Association and the Law Society have agreed that there
should be an increase in the Tribunal's jurisdiction.
5.
Secondly, the time limits within which a claim
must be heard are to be amended. At present, the Law
requires that a date for the hearing of a claim shall
be fixed not earlier than 10 days nor later than 60 days
after the filing of the claim, unless the parties otherwise
agree. In practice, such agreement is seldom reached.
It has been pointed out by the Secretary for Economic
Services, with support from the Consumer Council and
the Hong Kong Tourist Association, that tourists who come to
Hong Kong for short visits should have some means of
obtaining quick redress against malpractices by unscrupulous
retailers. Such a retailer is not likely to agree that
the 10 days should be abridged. Consequently, the tourist
will not have his claim heard before he leaves Hong Kong.
The removal of the 10-day limit will allow claims to be
heard