WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1987
36
+ IT HAS CONSEQUENTLY BEEN SUGGESTED THAT ADVANCE PAYMENTS MADE BY CONSUMERS SHOULD BE PAID INTO A TRUST ACCOUNT SO AS TO LIMIT THE TRAVEL AGENTS' ADVANCED ACCESS TO TOUR MONEY, THEREBY MINIMISING THE LIKELIHOOD OF ABSCONDMENT OR MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUND, SHE SAID.
TURNING TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL'S WORK
MRS CHOW SAID THE YEAR SAW THE COUNCIL EXERCISING ONE OF ITS STRONGEST SANCTIONS AGAINST UNSCRUPULOUS TRADERS - BY BRINGING PUBLIC CENSURE TO BEAR ON A TOTAL OF 11 SHOPS WHOSE TRADING PRACTICES WERE FAR FROM WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED FAIR AND HONEST.
INVARIABLY THE NAMING OF THESE DELINQUENT SHOPS RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD PUBLICITY IN THE MEDIA, SHE NOTED.
+WE HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THIS WILL CONTINUE. NOW THAT THE DEFAMATION ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED IN MAY 1986 TO ENABLE THE NEWS MEDIA TO PUBLISH FAIR AND ACCURATE REPORTS OF UNSCRUPULOUS TRADERS, + SHE SAID.
THE YEAR ALSO SAW THE RESOLUTION OF A LONG-STANDING ISSUE AFFECTING FLAT BUYERS -- THE NEED FOR A STANDARD METHOD OF FLOOR MEASUREMENT, OR SALEABLE AREA, IN NEWLY BUILT FLATS.
THIS JOINT EFFORT, CO-ORDINATED BY THE CONSUMER COUNCIL, ARRIVED AT A FORMULA ACCEPTABLE TO NINE OTHER PARTIES CONSISTING OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES COMPRISING ARCHITECTS, SURVEYORS, LAWYERS AND RELATED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
THE TRADE ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS HAD AGREED TO RECOMMEND TO ITS MEMBERS THE USE OF THIS STANDARD METHOD AND TO INCLUDE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE SALEABLE AREA IN THE PRICE LISTS GIVEN IN SALES BROCHURES.
+HOPEFULLY THIS AND OTHER MEASURES WILL RENDER THE INFAMOUS 'SHRUNKEN FLAT EPISODE DISCUSSED IN THIS COUNCIL NOT TOO LONG AGO A THING OF THE PAST, SHE COMMENTED.
MRS CHOW SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD REFLECTED THE PUBLIC MOOD AND TAKEN AN INCREASING INTEREST IN CONSUMER PROTECTION NOT THE LEAST IN ENACTING A NUMBER OF PIECES OF VITAL CONSUMER PROTECTION LEGISLATION.
THESE INCLUDED AMENDMENTS IN THE DEFAMATION ORDINANCE, THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL ORDINANCE, THE FOOD AND DRUGS (COMPOSITION AND LABELLING (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS AND THE ENACTMENT OF THE MONEY CHANGERS (DISCLOSURE OF RATES, CHARGES AND COMMISSION) ORDINANCE, AND THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE.
1
137