INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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70 000 copies. The inaugural issue of the annual English language 'Choice Buying Guide' met with a favourable response from the public. Close liaison was maintained with the mass media to disseminate consumer information, and, a new teaching kit on ‘Advertisements and Consumers' was produced to assist teachers and community workers in the promotion of consumer education.
An electrical appliance business, which changed its name four times, became the first trader to be named by the council for malpractices during the year. This marked the beginning of a more positive stance by the council to deter repeated malpractices by delinquent shops, which will be warned that once a complaint is substantiated, it risks the possibility of public exposure if it fails immediately to cease such malpractices. During the year, the council dealt with 9 431 complaints and 316 255 enquiries for consumer advice.
The Consumer Council of Hong Kong is a Council Member of the International Organisation of Consumers Unions (IOCU) and maintains strong ties with similar councils elsewhere.
Trade in Endangered Species
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In Hong Kong, the possession, importation and exportation of endangered species of animals and plants, including parts and derivatives, is strictly regulated by the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance, which gives effect to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The licensing policy follows closely the principles of the convention and licences are only granted to facilitate the trade of species permissible under CITES, whereas the trade in highly-endangered species is strictly forbidden.
Ivoryware, wild American ginseng roots imported for medicinal purposes, and reptile skins imported for the leather trade are the major commodities in the trade in endangered species. The internal sale of remaining pre-CITES stocks of rhinoceros horn and hide in the territory ceased to be permitted as from August 1, 1988 through an administrative arrangement prohibiting the transfer of existing possession licences. That month, the ordinance was amended to bring the schedules of endangered species in line with the updated CITES lists and to extend the control to cover the import of worked ivory, some 800 other endangered species and the manufactured products of some of the highly- endangered animals.
Plans are well advanced for the ordinance to be further amended to enhance its enforcement, including proposals to increase the maximum penalties for contravention of the law, and to prohibit the local sale of all medicinal products claiming to contain rhinoceros ingredient.
The ordinance is administered by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and is enforced by officers of the department and the Customs and Excise Department through checkings at entry points, markets, shops and restaurants, as well as the inspection of the licenced shipments. The Trade Department is authorised to issue certificates for ivoryware carved in Hong Kong. All suspected offences are thoroughly investigated and prosecutions follow if there is evidence of a breach of the ordinance. During 1988, there were 369 seizures and 298 prosecutions under the ordinance.
Metrication
The government's metrication policy is to facilitate progressive adoption of the Inter- national System of Units (SI) in those areas for which it is responsible, and to encourage the use of metric (SI) units by the private sector. The Metrication Ordinance, enacted in 1976,