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A man was convicted and fined $5,500 at the Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court today (February 18) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection to a licensed guesthouse in Market Street, Tsuen Wan, last June. The investigation team found three rooms with accommodation facilities in the premises and three patrons who rented the rooms on an hourly basis. According to OLA's record, the premises where the three rooms were located were outside the licensed area of the licensed guesthouse and did not possess a valid certificate or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance. The man, who was manager of the premises, was charged with contravening Sections 5(1) and 21(3)(b) of the ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouses, or operate or manage a guesthouses in any premises other than the premises indicated in the licence. Enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers. He appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:05
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