THURSDAY, JULY 11.
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BILL PROPOSES PROTECTION FOR TRAVELLING PUBLIC
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO PROTEC MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FROM UNSCRUPULOUS TRAVEL AGENTS.
A TRAVEL AGENTS BILL, TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TOMORK (FRIDAY) WILL PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRAVEL AGENTS' RESERVE FUND, AN OFFICE FOR A REGISTRAR OF TRAVEL AGENTS, AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAVEL AGENTS.
THE RESERVE FUND WILL BE EMPLOYED TO HELP CLIENTS WHO ARE OWED SUMS OF MONEY BY A LICENSED TRAVEL AGENT AND WHO HAVE NO OTHER RESORT TO OBTAIN SATISFACTION.
THE FUND WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE REGISTRAR, WHO WILL ALSO BE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF VETTING LICENCE APPLICATION.. AND ENFORCING THE REGULATIONS.
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THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, ILL PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE LAW AND 14 PARTICULAR THE LICENSING SCHEME.
DETAILED REGULATIONS WILL BE PUBLISHED IF THE BILL RECEIVES THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. IT WILL RECEIVE IT. FIRST READING ON JULY 24 AND ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITS PROVISIONS MAY WRITE TO UMELCO AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATE- ROAD, OR TO THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT LEGISLATION FOR THE CONTROL OF TRAVEL AGENCIES WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.
IN THE CASE OF OUTBOUND TRAVEL AND TOUR ACTIVITIES, MEMBERS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC ARE VULNERABLE TO UNSCRUPULOUS OR BOGUS FLY-BY-NIGHT OPERATORS WHO VANISH WITH DEPOSITS OR WHO GO BANKRUPT, HE SAID.
ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO ABSCONDMENTS IN 1983 AND 1984 AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE INSTANCE SO FAR THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT, THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC ALL REMAIN CONCERNED AT THE VULNERABILITY THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC, GIVEN THE INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SPEND THEIR HOLIDAYS OUTSIDE HONG KONG EACH YEAR, HE SAID.
THE PROPOSALS TO BE PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE FORMULATED BY A WORKING PARTY CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES AND WITH REPRESENTATION FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY COUNCIL, HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS, THE POLICE AND THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.
/IN FUTURE,