********************************************
A man was found guilty and fined $1,000 at Eastern Magistrates' Court today (August 8) for managing a guesthouse in Causeway Bay without a valid certificate of exemption or a licence.
The court heard that officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department (HAD) inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Paterson Street, Causeway Bay in January this year and found eight rooms equipped with sleeping accommodation.
The man admitted that part of the rooms were for daily rental. He was subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
An HAD spokesman said that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse.
He stressed that illegal guesthouses would not be tolerated and enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers of these establishments.
He also urged people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA on tel. 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:01
NNNN
