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Two women, convicted of contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance, were fined $5,000 and $6,000 respectively at the Eastern Magistrates' Court today (August 21).
The court heard that officers of the Home Affairs Department's Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, in January this year and located four rooms as well as a daily rental guest in the premises.
The two women, who were the operator and management personnel of the guesthouse, admitted that they both knew the premises was an unlicensed guesthouse. They were subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the HAGAO.
A department spokesman warned that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse. He appealed to people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:00
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