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A woman convicted of operating a Cheung Chau guesthouse without a certificate of exemption or a licence was fined $3,500 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (March 21) .
The court heard that in September last year, officers of the Home Affairs Department's Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) went as guests and rented a room at a guesthouse in Cheung Chau through a stall managed by the woman near the ferry pier. Upon arrival, the officers found a man who had paid rent for staying in a room on the premises for one night.
The woman, who was the operator of the unlicensed guesthouse, was subsequently charged with contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate an unlicensed guesthouse.
The spokesman said that unlicensed guesthouse 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 people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:49
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