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FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1988
"THE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE IN CONSUMER PROTECTION WILL ALSO PK FURTHER EXPANDED, INCLUDING NEW RESPONSIBILITIES IN ENFORCING WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND THE SALE OF UNSAFE PRODUCTS.
"OTHER OBJECTIVES INCIDE FURTHERING OUR EFFICIENCY IN THE SUPPRESSION OF NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA, MAINTENANCE OF THE LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEM AND THE COLLECTION OF A LARGER REVENUE ARISING FROM RECENT INCREASES IN DUTIES ON DUTIABLE COMMODITIES."
MR TONG ALSO NOTED THAT THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICK WAS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT IT WAS PERHAPS THE ONLY DISCIPLINED CUSTOMS FORCE IN THE WORLD, OPERATING UNDER A STATUTORY CODE OF DISCIPLINE.
"THERE IS ALSO AN ELEMENT OF CONTINUITY IN THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT IN HISTORY," HE ADDED.
"THE PRESENT CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT HAS IT'S ROOTS IN THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE ESTABLISHED IN 1909 UNDER THE THEN IMPORT AND EXPORT DEPARTMENT, THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT SUCCESSIVELY.
"THE SERVICE BEGAN AS A COLLECTOR AND PROTECTOR OF DUTY ON INTOXICATING LIQUORS. THE LIST WAS EXTENDED IN TIME TO INCLUDE TOBACCO, MOTOR SPIRITS, METHYL ALCOHOL AND, MORE RECENTLY, COSMETICS AND NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DERIVING AN ANNUAL REVENUE
OF NEARLY $4 BILLION TODAY."
MR TONG EXPLAINED THAT THE SERVICE'S OPERATIONS HAD ALSO FOCUSSED ON FIVE OTHER MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE YEARS.
I,
"THEY INCLUDE, FIRSTLY, THE CONTROL OF THE IMPORT AND EXPORT OF PROHIBITED ARTICLES OCCASIONED BY THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR FOLLOWED BY THE DUTY TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S TRADING INTEGRITY AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF SYSTEM IN 1932.
"OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE INTERDICTION OF NARCOTIC DRUGS AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW COPYRIGHT LAW ENACTED IN 1973 AND THE PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY UNDER THE TRADE DESCRIPTIONS ORDINANCE AS FROM 1981.
LONG
"THE DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT STAGES DURING ITS PROCESS OF EVOLUTION, CHARACTERISED BY MAJOR ORGANISATION RE-CONSTRUCTIONS AND UNEQUALLED ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN EACH
STAGE, BEFORE IT BECAME A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL AND MULTI-FACETED ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OF TODAY.
"AMONG THEM, THE MORE IMPORTANT ONES WERE THE OUTBREAK OF THE KOREAN WAR WITH ITS SUBSEQUENT TRADE EMBARGO, THE UPSURGE IN GOLD SMUGGLING AND OPERATION OF ILLICIT STILL FOR CHINESE WINE IN THE 1950'S AND 1960'S, THE ENACTMENT OF THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE ORDINANCE IN 1963 AND NEW RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANTI-NARCOTIC OPERATIONS ON LAND AND PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT IN 1972 AND 1973 RESPECTIVELY.
/"WITH THE