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A woman was fined $2,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 9) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that in April this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a licensed guesthouse in Temple Street, Jordan. During the investigation, OLA officers found that the guesthouse was operated under a name other than the name indicated in the licence. The female operator of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 21(3)(c) of the Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it is a criminal offence to illegally operate or manage a guesthouse. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers.
He appealed to the public to dial the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the website (www.hadla.gov.hk) to report suspected illegal guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:02
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