2016年CRI Restaurant Fined for ＂Over-priced Fish＂

 

The issue garnered¹ widespread attention after a tourist named Chen Yan claimed he was charged over 10-thousand yuan for a feast at a restaurant featuring wild fish.

Chen posted the bill to his Sina Weibo account, showing the price of the Huso sturgeon he ordered was nearly 800 yuan per kilogram.

The restaurant claimed the fish had been caught in the wild but it was later proven to be a farmed fish.

Songbei District Deputy Director Ding Wei led the investigation².

"By checking their order list and supply channels for the fish, we discovered the restaurant purchased the fish at a price of 60 yuan per kilogram. We have verified that the fish are not wild but artificially raised. The order list was faked."

Investigators³ say the restaurant had also cheated on registrations⁴ and permits, and they have verified Chen's accusation⁵ that there was a physical altercation⁶ involving restaurant staff.

Local authorities describe the issue as a serious infringement⁷ on consumer rights. The license⁸ for the restaurant has been revoked⁹ and the owner has been fined 500,000 yuan.

These findings represent a complete reversal of a previous investigation of the issue.

In a report released two days after Chen's viral online post, The Harbin Market Supervisory Authority had said the fish had been sold at a reasonable price.

When talking about the contradiction in the results, Ding says staff members with some local authorities have been negligent¹⁰ in their work, as they took testimony¹¹ from the restaurant's side only.

"After receiving the message on Weibo, we sent out investigators to check the issue immediately. We have tried to contact Chen Yan but failed. Under such circumstances we only listen to the testimony from the restaurant and drew the first report. We wanted to send an immediate¹² response to the public and media. "

He says local authorities involved in the case will be subjected to executive accountability and will take responsibility for their actions.

Ding says the issue has harmed the image of the city and the local authority has been reflecting on the case.

"The issue has made us to reflect on our work. We will enhance the supervision¹³ of the Market and stress the rule of law to ensure food safety. The qualifications of the managerial staff needs to be improved. And we welcome public supervision."

According to the National Tourism Administration, tourism revenues during the Spring Festival holiday hit 13.8 billion yuan, up 14 percent from last year.

Yet many problems, including price fraud and selling under coercion¹⁴, have been exposed in the booming sector¹⁵.

To deal with these problems, China's State Council announced on Friday that it will expedite establishment of a tourism supervision body to address problems such as the infringement of tourists' rights.

Local governments have also been urged to do their part to ensure fairness in the sector and protect consumer rights, and publicize details of any wrongdoing.

For CRI, this is Guo Yan.

1 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

5 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

6 altercation   

n.争吵，争论

参考例句：

• Throughout the entire altercation,not one sensible word was uttered.争了半天，没有一句话是切合实际的。
• The boys had an altercation over the umpire's decision.男孩子们对裁判的判决颇有争议。

7 infringement   

n.违反；侵权

参考例句：

• Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
• The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯

8 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

9 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

10 negligent   

adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的

参考例句：

• The committee heard that he had been negligent in his duty.委员会听说他玩忽职守。
• If the government is proved negligent,compensation will be payable.如果证明是政府的疏忽，就应支付赔偿。

11 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

12 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

13 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

14 coercion   

n.强制，高压统治

参考例句：

• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。
• He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。

15 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。