WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1978
9
+BUT IS ALL THAT A GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE FOR GOING ON YEAR AFTER YEAR, ALLOWING EXISTING SIMPLE LEGISLATION TO FALL INTO DECAY AND CONTEMPT?
+WHY ARE WE MAKING SUCH HEAVY WEATHER OVER THE ENFORCEMENT OF A PIECE OF FUNDAMENTAL CONSUMER PROTECTION LEGISLATION WHICH IS AS IT WAS IN 18857+ MR. WU ASKED.
+TO SAY THAT WE NEED AN ARMY OF INSPECTORS TO ENFORCE SUCH LEGISLATION IS NO MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN SAYING THAT WE NEED A LARGE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC WARDENS TO ENFORCE PARKING LAWS OR HEALTH INSPECTORS TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY.+
THE GOVERNMENT ARGUMENT SEEMS TO BE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERY TRADER IS A VILLAIN AND WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED AND CHECKED DAILY, WHICH IS RATHER RIDICULOUS. ACCESS TO THE EXISTING LAW IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF THE CONSUMER. IT IS NOT SOME NEW- FANGLED 1970'S CONSUMERISM, BUT OLD FASHIONED 1880'S COMMON SENSE. THE LEGISLATION IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF HONEST TRADERS WHO WOULD WELCOME THE CHANCE TO OPERATE WITH VERIFIED CERTIFIED MEASURES, MR. WỤ SAID.
HE SAID THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A NEED FOR PROPERLY TRAINED WEIGHTS AND MEASURES INSPECTORS WHEN THE NEW LAW WAS ENACTED, AND EVEN BEFORE. THE EXPERT REPORT HAD INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO GREAT PROBLEM IN TRAINING THEM IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER A GREAT DEAL OF THE WORK COULD BE DONE WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY BY SELF- DISCIPLINE, BACKED BY SOME FORCEFUL PUBLIC INFORMATION AND CO-ORDINATION FROM THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.
HE ACCEPTED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT OR IT MIGHT NOT BE DESIRABLE OR USEFUL TO GIVE THE CONCUMER COUNCIL EXECUTIVE POWER, BUT THERE WAS AMPLE PROOF THAT THE COUNCIL HAD A POWERFUL, PERSUASIVE AND EDUCATIONAL REPUTATION ALREADY.
+ IF THE GOVERNMENT WERE ONLY PREPARED TO MAKE ITS EXISTING LEGISLATION WORK FOR THE TIME BEING, I BELIEVE WE COULD REVIVE A SIMPLE AND MUCH NEEDED FORM OF CONSUMER PROTECTION.
+IF BETTER STILL, WE HAD AND MEASURES, BUT SEVERAL -- TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICE
NOT ONE COPY OF THE STANDARD WEIGHTS SAY ONE IN EACH CITY AND NEW
THEN I BELIEVE WE WOULD BE HONOURING OUR EXISTING OBLIGATIONS AND MEETING THE RIGHTFUL EXPECTATIONS OF CONSUMERS AND TRADERS ALIKE, HE SAID.
MR. S. L. CHEN, SPEAKING AFTER MR. WU, SAID SOME VERY BOLD DECISIONS WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN IF WE WERE AT ALL SERIOUS ABOUT THE MATTER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
TO REVISE THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT A POSITIVE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMME WOULD MERELY BE AN EXERCISE ON +PAPER TALK+.
+WE MUCH SET OURSELVES A TARGET PROGRAMME TO ABOLISH THE 'CATTY' AND THE TAEL' THE 'FOOT' AND THE INCH' AND SO ON, AND TO REPLACE THEM WITH CORRESPONDING METRIC UNITS, HE SAID.
/HE HOPED.....