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The Administration today (October 27) welcomed the Court of Final Appeal decision that an appeal lodged by two companies against conviction for contravention of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance (HAGAO) would not be allowed.
The ordinance was enacted to provide for a licensing regime to regulate and control the building and fire safety of hotel and guesthouse accommodation in order to ensure the safety of patrons of theses establishments.
A spokesman for the Home Affairs Department said unlicensed operation of hotels and guesthouses would not be tolerated.
"The department's Office of the Licensing Authority will continue to take action to enforce the provisions under the Ordinance," the spokesman said.
The spokesman also encouraged people to report unlicensed hotels and guesthouses to the Office of the Licensing Authority through a hotline 2881 7498.
The two companies were convicted and fined a total of $20,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Court on May 9, 2005, for operating or otherwise having control of a hotel in the Southern District without a certificate of exemption or a licence. The companies subsequently lodged an appeal to the High Court on May 18, 2005, against the conviction and the appeal was dismissed.
The Court of Final Appeal received further application from the operators for leave to appeal. After the full hearing held on October 11, 2006, the Court of Final Appeal today decided that the appeal against conviction was not allowed.
Ends/Friday, October 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:58
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