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A woman convicted of contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance was fined $3,500 at the Eastern Magistrates' Court today (February 13).
The court heard that Officers of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection of a resort centre on Ngan Kwong Wan Road, Mui Wo, Lantau Island in July last year. The officers saw signs for the resort centre at the entrances of three of the centre's blocks. Three guests met at the scene said that they rented the rooms from a store and a news stand at Mui Wo Ferry Pier as well as a shop at a Mong Kok's shopping centre.
The woman, who was the responsible person of the holiday flats, said that 23 rooms in four blocks of the resort centre were operated as holiday flats and some holiday flats were rented out through the agents in Mong Kok, Mui Wo Ferry Pier and Tin Hau.
According to the OLA's record, the holiday flats did not posses a valid certificate of exemption or a license under the ordinance. The woman was subsequently charged for contravening Section 5 (1) of the ordinance.
A Home Affairs Department spokesman said it was a criminal offence to operate unlicensed holiday flats and that 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 holiday flats to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:40
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