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A company and a man were fined $3,500 and $2,000 respectively today (October 16) at the Eastern Magistrates' Court for operating and managing a guesthouse on Lantau Island without a valid certificate of exemption or a valid licence.
The court heard that the manager of a guesthouse on Ngan Kwong Wan Road, Mui Wo was convicted for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance (HAGAO) in February. The officers of the Home Affairs Department's Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) inspected the guesthouse again in April to check if there was any unlicensed guesthouse operation after the conviction.
During the investigation, the officers noticed several signs of the guesthouse on the wall of the building and met a daily rental guest.
A man, who was the management personnel of the guesthouse, admitted that there were 22 rooms in the premises for rent and that the guesthouse was unlicensed.
The company, which made an application of licence under HAGAO for the premises, did operate an unlicensed guesthouse on the day of inspection. The company was subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the ordinance. The man was charged with contravening the HAGAO for managing an unlicensed guesthouse.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse. He appealed to people to report unlicensed guesthouses to OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:30
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