XN000022-1991-07-08 — Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 8, 1981

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REDUCE INT'L TRADE BARRIERS: GOVERNOR

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TODAY (MONDAY) CALLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ORGANISATIONS TO PUT THEIR WEIGHT BEHIND THE IDEA OF REDUCING TRADING BARRIERS BENEFITTING THE CONSUMER AND GETTING A GOOD OUTCOME ΤΟ THE URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRÅDE NEGOTIATIONS.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 13TH WORLD CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF CONSUMERS UNIONS (IOCU), SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT DECISIONS TAKEN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS ON THE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD AFFECT THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM FOR YEARS TO

COME.

AT

AN

"THAT MEANS WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE CAN GET THE GOODS THEY WANT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE OR WHETHER THE CONSUMER PAYS ARTIFICIALLY HIGH PRICE TO PROTECT THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF ONE OR OTHER GROUP OF MANUFACTURERS," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG BELIEVED IN FREE TRADE AND BELIEVED IT WAS GOOD FOR THE CONSUMER AND DID NO HARM BITHER TO THE ENERGETIC AND INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURER.

"IT IS HARD TO FIND A PLACE MORE COMPETITIVE THAN HONG KONG," SIR DAVID SAID, ADDING THAT BUSINESSES HERE HAD NO PROTECTION FROM

IMPORTS.

"LOCAL GOODS AND SERVICES COMPETE ON AN EQUAL BASIS WITH THOSE FROM OVERSEAS. BUSINESSES SUCCEED BY PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE IN NBEDS AND WISHES OF THE CUSTOMER; BY RESPONDING QUICKLY TO CHANGES FASHION; BY OFFERING PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT IT, THE WAY THEY WANT IT, AT A PRICE THEY ARE PREPARED TO PAY.

"THAT IS WHAT FREE TRADE HAS MEANT FOR THE HONG KONG CONSUMER, SIR DAVID SAID.

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THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG'S CONSUMER COUNCIL HAD DONE A GREAT DEAL SINCE IT WAS SET UP IN 1974.

"MOST IMPORTANT, IT IS RESPECTED AND ACCESSIBLE. ESTABLISHED A NETWORK OF CONSUMER ADVISORY CENTRES.

It HAS

CONSUMERS

"BUSINESSES TAKE THE COUNCIL'S CRITICISMS SERIOUSLY; WELCOME ITS ADVICE; AND THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS ITS VIEWS WHEN PREPARING LEGISLATION ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR TOLD THE CONFERENCE THAT HONG KONG ALREADY HÅD LEGISLATION DEALING WITH A WIDE RANGE OF CONSUMBR ISSUES AND MORB WOULD FOLLOW.

HOWEVER,

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE LIMITS TO THE

THE EXTENT LEGISLATION ALONE COULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER.

/"PUBLIC EDUCATION