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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976
+ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS REALISED THAT THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS, AS WE DO ACHIEVE AT PRESENT, LIES IN CENTRALISATION, SPEED OF PROCESSING, AND IMMEDIATE ACCESSIBILITY TO MOST MEMBERS, ALL UMELCO STAFF AND MANY HEADS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.+
HE ADDED THAT THERE WAS ALSO THE CONSIDERATION OF INCREASED COSTS OF OPERATION RESULTING FROM DUPLICATION AND INTERNAL RED-TAPE.
ON CONSUMER COUNCIL, DR. CHUNG SAID, IT HAD OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS DONE SOME GOOD WORK IN THE FIELD OF CONSUMER PROTECTION.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, ITS DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITIES WERE MUCH HAMPERED DUE TO CERTAIN DIFFICULTIES.
+ONE SUCH DIFFICULTY IS THAT THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IS NOT A STATUTORY BODY, HE SAID.
+THE COUNCIL, AS IT NOW STANDS, CAN NEITHER SUE NOR BE SUED AND, SHOULD THERE BE ANY SUIT FOR DEFAMATION, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE LIABLE TO BE SUED INSTEAD.+
HE DISCLOSED THAT THERE HAD ALSO BEEN CASES WHERE THE NAME OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY USED IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND AT PRESENT THERE WAS NO WAY THE COUNCIL COULD TAKE THE OFFENDERS TO COURT.
+OTHER DIFFICULTIES WHICH IMPEDE THE WORK OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL ARE THE ANTIQUITY OF CONSUMER LEGISLATION AND THE LACK OF LEGAL BACKING, HE ADDED.
DR. CHUNG PROPOSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT UPDATE ALL CONSUMER LEGISLATION AND CONSIDER GRANTING THE CONSUMER COUNCIL THE NECESSARY POWER TO OBTAIN INFORMATION SO THAT THE COUNCIL COULD CARRY OUT ITS CONSUMER PROTECTION WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY FOR THE OVERALL GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.
REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. HE SAID THAT OVER THE PAST QUARTER OF A CENTURY, +OUR FOREIGN TRADE HAS GROWN BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND IS NOW APPROACHING $100 BILLION A YEAR. +
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY HE ADDED, HAD CORRESPONDINGLY BECOME MUCH WIDER, DIVERSIFIED AND COMPLICATED. YET THE ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT HAD SO FAR REMAINED PRACTICALLY UNCHANGED AND THE DEPARTMENT WAS NOW SHOWING SIGNS OF STRESS AND STRAIN.
+LEST MY HONOURABLE MEMBERS MISUNDERSTAND MY INTENTION, I HASTEN TO SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL IN THE TRADE RELATIONS, IN CERTIFICATION AND IN INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION.
+NONETHELESS, IT URGENTLY NEEDS MODERNISATION, REORGANISATION AND EXPANSION TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR RAPID COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH, WITHOUT DISPUTE, IS THE VERY LIFEBLOOD OF THE 4.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.+
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