ELECTRICAL WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS LICENSING (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Bill proposes to amend the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act (Chapter 89) by introducing provisions to safeguard the interest of members of the public when they require assistance in attending to electrical faults in their homes. The Bill will also enable the Public Utilities Board (PUB) to enforce the Act more effectively.

PUB has received complaints from the public of unsatisfactory electrical services performed by unlicensed tradesmen. Under the present Act, PUB can take action against unlicensed electrical workers and contractors who advertise or hold themselves out as persons qualified to do "electrical work" as defined in the Act. However, where the services advertised do not fall specifically within the meaning of "electrical work" under the Act, PUB has no power to take any action. "Electrical work" is presently defined as only work carried out on an electrical installation. The present definition does not cover services, such as the design and planning of electrical system in a household, office or factory. Nor does it include checking of the electrical system and general servicing where no actual "work" is "carried out". This situation is not desirable as it has given rise to unscrupulous, unlicensed contractors advertising their services in a misleading way. Very often, these contractors make misleading or unsubstantiated statements about the qualifications and experience in their advertisements. This should be stopped.

A new section 6A is being added to the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Act. This new section provides for a broader definition of electrical services to include all aspects of work connected with the wiring of electrical installations or the rectification of electrical power failure. It will require any person who advertises by any means the supply of such electrical services to state expressly in his advertisement whether or not he is a licensed electrical worker or a licensed electrical contractor and, if so, the number and date of expiry of his licence and the address of the place at which he carries on his business. This will ensure that only properly qualified and licensed electrical contractors and workers attend to electrical faults.

The new sections 11A and 11B will help PUB enforce the Act more expeditiously and effectively. The new section 11A empowers PUB's authorised officer to require any person to furnish to PUB any knowledge of information or evidence which PUB may require for any purpose under the Act. This will assist PUB in their investigations into complaints of unsatisfactory electrical services or other offences under the Act. The new section 11B will facilitate the service of notices, orders, documents and summonses on offenders.

The new section 11C provides for a general penalty for offences under this Act or its Regulations where no penalty has been expressly provided.

Section 14 is amended to raise the maximum amount payable for composition of offences from $200 to $500. The existing maximum penalty of $200 is too low to be an effective deterrent in the present circumstances.

All these amendments are to come into operation immediately.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr S. Dhanabalan].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.