A man was fined $8,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (September 12) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in February this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Carnarvon Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. During the inspection, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis.
      
     According to the OLA's record, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of inspection. The man responsible for managing the premise was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
      
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

     A man was fined $4,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (September 12) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in November last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Portland Street in Mong Kok which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC).

     The OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Also, the OLA officers found that the exit route had been obstructed. Conditions 12 and 19 of the CoC were breached.

     The man, being the manager of the club, was charged with contravening section 21(1)(a) of the Ordinance.

     A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operations.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will visit Huizhou tomorrow (September 13).  Huizhou is one of the cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
      
     Mr Chan will meet with senior government officials of the Huizhou Municipal Government and visit innovation and technology enterprises in Huizhou. He will return to Hong Kong in the evening on the same day.
      
     During his absence, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau, will act as Financial Secretary. 
     

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (September 12) met with the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Kuatzhan Ualiyev, in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.  

     The Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in March this year to enhance cultural collaboration between the two places.

     Mr Lau said that closer cultural ties with Kazakhstan are expected to be maintained under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Last year, Kazakhstan and the Hong Kong Museum of History jointly presented the exhibition "Miles upon Miles: World Heritage along the Silk Road" in Hong Kong. In addition, representatives from Kazakhstan also participated in the 10th Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum. During this visit, young Hong Kong musicians will perform with renowned Kazakhstan arts groups in a joint concert to be held in Almaty.

     This morning, Mr Lau called on the Ambassador of China to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Zhang Xiao, to keep abreast of China's developments in Kazakhstan. During his stay in Astana, Mr Lau visited cultural and sports facilities including a museum, opera house and velodrome. He also met with local cycling and ice hockey athletes and watched a training session.

     Mr Lau will depart for Kyrgyzstan to continue his visit tomorrow (September 13).

        

     As the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 is now in force, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (September 12) will be cancelled.