INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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origin, textile quota controls, import and export licences and the verification of trade declarations and manifests. Its Trade Investigation Bureau and Trading Standards Investigation Bureau are responsible for the investigation of licensing and origin fraud, consumer protection, weights and measures control and the control of reserved com- modities.
The re-organisation of the Customs and Excise Department last year provided the opportunity for the restructuring of the Trade Controls Branch. As a result, its overall enforcement ability and staff resources in particular were more effectively deployed, result- ing in a large rise in the number of textile consignment checks and a significant increase in the number of cases of origin and textile fraud that were detected.
Greater emphasis is being placed on the enforcement of consumer protection legislation, particularly the new Weights and Measures Ordinance which came into effect on January 1, 1989.
Government Supplies Department
The Government Supplies Department is the government's central purchasing and supply agency. It buys equipment, goods and services ranging from simple office sundries to aircraft and complex computer systems, for 50 departments and units of the Hong Kong Government. It also gives advice on purchasing and supply matters, and seconds staff to other departments to ensure a professional approach to acquisition and maintenance of - supplies throughout the government.
To ensure continuity of supply, the department maintains goods which are generally required by other departments in its main stores in Hong Kong and Kowloon and five sub-stores specially established to serve the engineering workshops.
In conformity with Hong Kong's commitments as a signatory to the Agreement on Government Procurement of the GATT, the department's purchases of significance are widely advertised and open to competitive bidding. In the taxpayers' interest, all purchases are made entirely on the basis of best value for money regardless of the source of supply. Due to its open procurement policy, goods and services are procured from over 35 countries and some 4 000 registered suppliers.
In 1988-9, the department placed orders to a total value of $2,402 million including the purchase of aircraft from the United States for use by the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at a contract value of $423 million.
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body responsible for promoting and developing Hong Kong's overseas trade and publicising the oppor- tunities and advantages of Hong Kong as a trading partner.
The chairman is appointed by the Governor and the 18 other members include representatives of major trade associations, leading businessmen and industrialists, and two senior government officials.
The council was established in 1966 and has built up a network of 29 offices throughout the world, in addition to the head office in Hong Kong, local branch offices in Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong and a trade enquiries office in the Ocean Centre. In 1989, offices were opened in Singapore, and the council moved its head office to the Office Tower of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
All offices process trade enquiries, provide up-to-date trade and economic information and offer advice to businessmen interested in developing trade with Hong Kong. The