XN000022-1977-05-27 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1977

FORMAL STATUS FOR CONSUMER COUNCIL

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY PUBLISHED A BILL THAT PROPOSES TO PROVIDE THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WITH CORPORATE STATUS UNDER ITS OWN ORDINANCE.

THE CONSUMER COUNCIL BILL 1977 WILL ALSO PROTECT MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNCIL, AND MEMBERS OF ITS COMMITTEES, FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR ACTS DONE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL.

WHEN THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974,

A TIME WHEN PRICES WERE RISING RAPIDLY DURING A PERIOD OF HIGH INFLATION, IT WAS AS AN INFORMAL BODY IN ORDER TO ENABLE IT TO BEGIN WORK QUICKLY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

SINCE THEN THE COUNCIL HAS DEVELOPED ITS ROLE IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER AND IT IS NOW CONSIDERED THAT IT SHOULD BE FORMALLY CONSTITUTED WHICH IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DO EARLIER WHILE IT WAS STILL EVOLVING.

THE BILL DOES NOT PROPOSE ANY CHANGES IN THE ROLE OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS IT DOES TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES.

THE COUNCIL'S FUNCTIONS, HOWEVER, DO NOT EXTEND TO GOODS AND SERVICES SUPPLIED BY COMPANIES SUCH AS THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES WHOSE OPERATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT SCRUTINY, NOR TO THOSE SERVICES SUPPLIED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR BY THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE REASON FOR THIS BEING TO AVOID DUPLICATION. ALSO, UNDER THE BILL, THE GOVERNOR HAS THE POWER, BY WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE COUNCIL, TO REMOVE ANY GOODS OR SERVICES FROM ITS JURISDICTION.

AS REGARDS THE COUNCIL'S FINANCES, THE BILL LAYS DOWN PROVISIONS TO REFLECT THE EXISTING PRACTICE AND ADDS NO NEW BURDEN ON THE COUNCIL EXCEPT THE OBLIGATION TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT AND TO SUBMIT IT TOGETHER WITH ANNUAL ACCOUNTS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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