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A woman was convicted and fined $3,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Court today (January 20) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse on Lamma Island.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Lo So Shing, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, last August. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and rented a room with accommodation facilities inside the guesthouse. Subsequently the woman admitted that she was responsible for managing the unlicensed guesthouse.
According to OLA's record, the premises did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The woman was charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers. He appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:01
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