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WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1985
CONSUMER PROTECTION SAME FOR RESIDENTS, TOURISTS
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TOURISTS WERE ENTITLED TO THE SAME CONSUMER PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW AS CITIZENS OF HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GERRY HIGGINSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, MR HIGGINSON SAID, HOWEVER, THAT CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR TOURISTS THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL, AS TOURISTS SPENT LITTLE TIME HERE, WHILE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TOOK TIME.
HE BELIEVED THAT IN CONSUMER DISPUTES INVOLVING TOURISTS, PERSUASION AND ACTIVE MEDIATION BY INDEPENDENT BODIES WERE MORE EFFECTIVE.
IN THIS RESPECT, THE CONSUMER COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG TOUR IST ASSOCIATION HAD BOTH DONE MUCH GOOD WORK, HE SAID.
THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ALWAYS PREPARED TO CONSIDER NEW PROPOSALS TO GIVE FURTHER PROTECTION TO CONSUMERS - BOTH CITIZENS AND TOURISTS IF SUCH COULD BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT UNNECESSARILY INTERFERING WITH NORMAL BUSINESS PRACTICES.
POSTAL DELIVERY SERVICE
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IT WAS THE POLICY OF THE POST OFFICE TO DELIVER LETTER MAIL TO THE DOOR AT ALL IDENTIFIABLE ADDRESSES AND REGISTERED ITEMS AND CERTAIN PARCELS TO THE ADDRESSEE IN PERSON, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON GERRY HIGGINSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHAN YING-LUN, HE SAID WHERE THERE WAS NO IDENTIFIABLE ADDRESS A DELIVERY SERVICE WAS PROVIDED TO A COMMUNAL LETTER BOX OR NEST OF LETTER BOXES INSTALLED AT A LOCATION AGREED BY ALL RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.
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AS REGARDS REGISTERED ITEMS, MR HIGGINSON SAID, +IF THE ADDRESSEE IS OUT WHEN HIS REGISTERED LETTER ARRIVES, A SECOND ATTEMPT IS MADE ON THE NEXT DELIVERY BY THE POSTMAN.
+ONLY IF THIS ATTEMPT IS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL IS THE ITEM RETURNED TO THE LOCAL POST OFFICE, WHERE IT MAY STILL BE PICKED UP BY THE ADDRESSEE WITHIN 14 DAYS.+
/MR HIGGINSON