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A company was convicted and fined $2,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (September 19) for operating a guesthouse in Lamma Island without a certificate of exemption or a licence as required under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department (HAD), inspected a guesthouse in Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island in March this year. Upon arrival, the investigation team found three rooms, all equipped with sleeping facilities, and about 10 guests in the premises. One of the guests alleged that the room was rented on a daily basis.
A man, in the capacity of the company's representative, admitted that the guesthouse was operated by the company and the rooms were rented out through the agents in a Mong Kok commercial centre.
The company was subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
An HAD spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse.
The spokesman said that illegal guesthouses would not be tolerated and enforcement action would be taken against them to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments.
He also appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:13
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