§ 27 — Immediate suspension of approval

27.—(1) This section applies if —(a)

an individual in respect of whom approval has been granted under section 20 for the individual to be deployed as a debt collector of a licensee, is subject to criminal proceedings in respect of —(i)

an offence under this Act;

(ii)

an offence, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, involving dishonesty or the conviction for which involved a finding that the individual had acted dishonestly; or

(iii)

an offence specified in the Second Schedule; and

(b)

the Licensing Officer is of the opinion that it is undesirable in the public interest for the individual to continue to act as the licensee’s debt collector,

and this section applies despite section 26.

(2) The Licensing Officer may (without compensation) serve on the individual and the licensee which deploys the individual as a debt collector with the Licensing Officer’s approval granted under section 20, a notice of immediate suspension of the approval which takes immediate effect and remains in force until the Licensing Officer makes an order under subsection (6)(a) or any appeal to the Minister under section 37 against an order under subsection (6)(b) is determined.

(3) The individual must, upon a notice being served on him or her under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (6), immediately cease to act as the licensee’s debt collector.

(4) The licensee must, upon a notice being served on it under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (6), immediately cease to deploy the individual as a debt collector.

(5) An individual who is served with a notice under subsection (2) may, within 14 days after being served with the notice, apply to the Licensing Officer to review his or her decision under subsection (6).

(6) The Licensing Officer may, on reviewing his or her decision, by order —(a)

rescind the immediate suspension of the approval granted under section 20 for the individual to be deployed as a debt collector of the licensee; or

(b)

refuse to rescind the immediate suspension of that approval.

—(1) This section applies if —(a)

an individual in respect of whom approval has been granted under section 20 for the individual to be deployed as a debt collector of a licensee, is subject to criminal proceedings in respect of —(i)

an offence under this Act;

(ii)

an offence, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, involving dishonesty or the conviction for which involved a finding that the individual had acted dishonestly; or

(iii)

an offence specified in the Second Schedule; and

(b)

the Licensing Officer is of the opinion that it is undesirable in the public interest for the individual to continue to act as the licensee’s debt collector,

and this section applies despite section 26.

(2) The Licensing Officer may (without compensation) serve on the individual and the licensee which deploys the individual as a debt collector with the Licensing Officer’s approval granted under section 20, a notice of immediate suspension of the approval which takes immediate effect and remains in force until the Licensing Officer makes an order under subsection (6)(a) or any appeal to the Minister under section 37 against an order under subsection (6)(b) is determined.

(3) The individual must, upon a notice being served on him or her under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (6), immediately cease to act as the licensee’s debt collector.

(4) The licensee must, upon a notice being served on it under subsection (2) but subject to subsection (6), immediately cease to deploy the individual as a debt collector.

(5) An individual who is served with a notice under subsection (2) may, within 14 days after being served with the notice, apply to the Licensing Officer to review his or her decision under subsection (6).

(6) The Licensing Officer may, on reviewing his or her decision, by order —(a)

rescind the immediate suspension of the approval granted under section 20 for the individual to be deployed as a debt collector of the licensee; or

(b)

refuse to rescind the immediate suspension of that approval.