**********************************************
A woman who contravened the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance was fined $4,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (October 25).
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department issued a warning letter in March this year to the responsible person of the guesthouse in Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, for immediate cessation of its unlicensed operation.
The OLA officers inspected the premises in May and noted several signboards at the external wall and along the staircase of the building where the guesthouse was located as well as the main entrance of the premises. Six guestrooms equipped with sleeping and shower facilities were found upon entering the guesthouse. A male guest at the scene alleged that he rented the room daily.
The woman, who was the guesthouse keeper, was subsequently charged with managing a guesthouse without a certificate of exemption or a licence.
A department spokesman said it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse.
The spokesman said 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 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:52
NNNN