The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) earlier prosecuted a licensee and two managers of a clubhouse in Mong Kok, Kowloon, according to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F). The licensee was fined $22,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts yesterday (November 30), while the two managers of the clubhouse were each fined $5,000.

     The courts heard that the OLA conducted a blitz enforcement operation against the clubhouse on June 10 and found the responsible persons violating the anti-epidemic regulation prevailing at the time of the case, including having arranged live performances at the premises, allowing dancing activities at the clubhouse, not properly switching on the air purifiers when the premises were opened for business, not keeping records of rapid antigen test results of employees, and not ensuring scanning of the "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code by customers before entering the clubhouse and not complying with the requirements applicable to clubhouses under the Vaccine Pass arrangement.

     A spokesman for the HAD stressed that clubhouses with a Certificate of Compliance issued by the HAD are one of the scheduled premises under Cap. 599F requiring compliance with the relevant requirements and directions issued by the Government. Persons responsible for scheduled premises that contravene the statutory requirements under Cap. 599F would have committed a criminal offence. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     The HAD will continue to proactively take stringent enforcement action and step up inspections at clubhouses in various districts across the territory to ensure that the responsible persons of the premises and the patrons strictly comply with relevant provisions in the regulations for the prevention and control of disease. The Government again appeals to members of the public for their full compliance with various anti-epidemic requirements so as to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the community.

Ends/Thursday, December 1, 2022
Issued at HKT 20:46

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