****************************************
A company was fined $16,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (February 15) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The court heard that in September last year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a club in Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During the investigation, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Moreover, the actual layout of the club was found to have deviated from the registered drawings. Conditions 3 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
The company, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:10
NNNN
