11
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1988
TIME TO REVIEW SCOPE OF CONSUMER COUNCIL'S WORK
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THE
TIME HAS COME TO REVIEW THE SCOPE OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL'S WORK TO SEE WHETHER IT ADEQUATELY COVERS THE AMBIT REGULARLY AFFECTING CONSUMERS, THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IT WAS ONLY WITH CONSTANT ASSESSMENT AND ALIGNMENT THAT THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND MADE ON IT BY THE COMMUNITY, MRS CHOW SAID WHEN TABLING THE 1986-87 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL, OF WHICH SHE IS CHAIRMAN.
APART FROM THE ONGOING RESPONSIBILITIES IN PRODUCT TESTING, RESEARCH AND SURVEY, SCHOOL AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND COMPLAINTS MONITORING, DISTRICT SERVICE AND LEGISLATION STUDIES, THE CONSUMER COUNCIL'S WORK HAD EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS WITH THE CHANGES THAT CHARACTERISED HONG KONG, SHE SAID.
"MORE EXPECTATION HAS BEEN GENERATED, AND WE HAVE HAD ΤΟ MOVE INTO NEW AREAS OF ACTIVITIES,' SHE SAID.
WITH IMPROVEMENT OF STANDARD OF LIVING CAME LOCAL ENQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS CONCERNING NEW AREAS OF ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES FOR WHICH THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WOULD HAVE ΤΟ ADOPT NEW APPROACHES AND ACQUIRE OUTSIDE EXPERTISE, SHE ADDED.
MORE
MRS CHOW SAID HONG KONG'S BUOYANT ECONOMY HAD STIMULATED VIBRANT CONSUMER ACTIVITIES, AND THIS HAD IN TURN LED TO MORE COMPETITION IN THE MARKET PLACE.
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BOMBARDED BY IMAGES AND JARGONS OF ADVERTISING, THE CONSUMER MUST BE SURE OF HIS RIGHT TO CORRECT INFORMATION AT ALL TIMES, SAID.
FT
SHE
THAT
ON CONSUMER LEGISLATION, MRS CHOW SAID THERE WAS NO DOUBT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOWADAYS MUCH MORE SENSITIVE TO THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION LEGISLATION.
SHE NOTED THAT APART FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS INITIATED BY THE CONSUMER COUNCIL'S LEGISLATION COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY THE HON CHUNG THE LAW PUI-LAM, THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WAS ASSISTED IN ITS EFFORTS BY REFORM COMMISSION AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION.
"IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT THE TIME TAKEN FOR THE PASSAGE AND ENACTMENT OF SUCH LAWS IS CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO," SHE SAID,
/SHE ADDED