***********************************************
A woman was fined $8,000 at the Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Courts today (October 4) for operating a guesthouse in Tsuen Wan without a certificate of exemption or a license as required under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that officers of the Licensing Authority, Home Affairs Department, conducted an inspection against an unlicensed guesthouse in Market Street, Tsuen Wan in April this year.
Upon arrival, the officers found that the premises was locked and subsequently approached the adjoining guesthouse, which was believed to have control over the premises. The staff of the guesthouse admitted that two rooms in the adjacent premises were rented out on an hourly basis and daily guests were later located in both rooms.
The woman, who was the person responsible for the premises, admitted under caution that three rooms in the premises were for letting. She was charged with contravening 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 reiterated 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/Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:46
NNNN