XN000022-1982-11-24 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1982

CONCERN FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS

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DR THE HON HO KAM-FA! URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP A MONITORING MACHINERY TO OVERSEE THE OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES.

HE SAID THE EVER INCREASING TARIFFS IMPOSED BY THESE COMPANIES CALL FOR THE CONSUMER MONITORING+ OF SUCH UTILITIES.

+THERE IS A MYTH THAT CONSUMER MONITORING OF THE OPERATION OF A PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY IS AN AUTOMATIC ANSWER TO IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND MAXIMISED PUBLIC INTEREST, HE ADDED.

DR HO POINTED OUT THAT THE CONSUMERS OF A PUBLIC UTILITY, SUCH AS A POWER COMPANY, FALL INTO TWO BROAD CATEGORIES CORPORATE CONSUMERS AND INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS.

THE CORPORATION CONSUMERS, WHICH OFTEN FORM THEMSELVES INTO A FEDERATION OR AN ASSOCIATION TO TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION TO FEND FOR THE IR INTERESTS, HAVE THE NEEDED RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE TO STUDY THE PROBLEM CONFRONTING THEM, THEY ALSO HAVE THE SKILL AND TACT TO NEGOTIATE WITH AND TO BRING PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES.

BUT HE FELT THAT INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS ARE FAR LESS RESOURCEFUL IN TERMS OF TIME, MONEY, SKILL AND EXPERTISE IN DEALING WITH A MODERN UTILITY COMPANY WHICH HAS BECOME HIGHLY COMPLEX IN ORGANISATION AND OPERATION.

IT IS THEREFORE UNDERSTANDABLE THAT SOME OF THE CRITICISMS FROM THE LAYMEN-CONSUMERS MAY BE SOMEWHAT MISPLACED FROM A TECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW, HE SAID.

+FURTHERMORE, THE INTERESTS OF THE CORPORATE CONSUMERS MAY NOT ALWAYS COINCIDE WITH THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS.

+UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE UTILITY COMPANY SHOULD NOT COMPROMISE ITS INTERESTS WITH THOSE OF THE CORPORATE CONSUMERS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS.+

IN THE EVENT OF A MONITORING MACHINERY BEING ESTABLISHED, DR HO SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD INCLUDE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS WHO HAVE THE RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONSUMING PUBLIC AND THE COMPANIES CONCERNED.

+ THE PRINCIPAL FUNCTION OF THESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OR APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS IS TO PLAY AN IMPARTIAL ROLE IN SAFEGUARDING THE INTERESTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, HE SAID.