FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1980

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IN THE FIELD OF CONSUMER PROTECTION, MR JORDAN SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD SHORTLY BE OPERATING UNDER THE NEW TRADE DESCRIPTIONS LEGISLATION WHICH RECEIVED ITS THIRD READING AND COMMITTEE STAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST WEEK.

+WE ARE ALSO PREPARING FRESH LEGISLATION CONCERNING WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. BOTH LEGAL PROVISIONS WILL BENEFIT AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL AS OUR IMAGE ABROAD, HE SAID.

OUTLINING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST NARCOTICS, MR JORDAN SAID: +NOT ONLY IN THE HARBOUR AND AT THE AIRPORT BUT THROUGHOUT THE HINTERLAND THEY ARE A VERY PROFESSIONAL ENFORCEMENT FORCE WHOSE SUCCESSES HAVE RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM.

+WHERE APPROPRIATE THEY WORK WELL WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE POLICE AND INDEED ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THIS CO-OPERATION IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO HAS BEEN THE SETTING UP OF A JOINT CUSTOMS/POL ICE INTELLIGENCE UNIT WHICH HAS ALREADY RECORDED A NOTABLE NUMBER OF SUCCESSES.

+THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE HAS ALSO ACHIEVED ACCLAIM FOR THE SUCCESS IT HAS ATTAINED AGAINST PIRATED CASSETTES AND

IT MUST BE UNIQUE IN THAT IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED WITH NOT ONE BUT TWO GOLDEN DISCS BY THE RECORDING INDUSTRY IN RECOGNITION OF ITS EFFORTS IN THIS FIELD, MR JORDAN ADDED.

ILLUSTRATING THE DUTIES OF THE CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS DEPARTMENT IN REGULATING TRADE, HE SAID: IT IS THE MISDEMEANOURS OF THAT TINY PERCENTAGE OF OUR TRADING COMMUNITY, WHO WOULD BRING HONG KONG'S TRADING REPUTATION INTO DISREPUTE, WHICH MUST BE CONSTANTLY COUNTERED.

+THE PROPORTION OF FAKE GOODS IMPROPERLY PRODUCED IN HONG KONG IS INF INITES IMAL COMPARED WITH THOSE PRODUCED IN LEGITIMATE TRADE. NEVERTHELESS WHEN COUNTERFEIT GOODS ARE DISCOVERED AND THERE IS CONSEQUENT PUBLICITY EITHER HERE OR ABROAD, HONG KONG'S TRADING REPUTATION AS A WHOLE IS PLACED IN JEOPARDY.

LIKEWISE, WHEN THE OCCASIONAL SHARP OPERATOR EVADES QUOTA CONTROL OR FALSELY OBTAINS CERTIFICATION OF ORIGIN OF HIS GOODS, HE BRINGS THE SYSTEM AND ALL DECENT TRADERS OF HONG KONG INTO DISREPUTE.

+ IN MY OPINION, TRADING INTEGRITY IS ONE OF HONG KONG'S MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS, MR JORDAN SAID.

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