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Author Archives: hksar gov

Operator and manager of unlicensed guesthouses fined

     A man and a woman were fined $8,000 and $10,000 at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts and Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts respectively today (May 9) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in August and October last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected two suspected unlicensed guesthouses in Hau Tei Square in Tsuen Wan and on Gillies Avenue South in Hung Hom. During the inspections, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented rooms in these guesthouses on a daily basis.
      
     According to the OLA’s records, these guesthouses did not possess licences under the Ordinance on the days of inspection. The man and the woman responsible for operating and managing the premises were 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”.     read more

East Asia

CE reviews FSD 150th anniversary grand parade (with photos)

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (May 9) reviewed a grand parade in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (FSD) at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy.

     The parade featured seven contingents and a total of 18 fire services appliances. The seven contingents were formed by personnel representing the FSD Headquarters Command, the Hong Kong Command, the Fire Safety Command, the Kowloon Command, the Licensing and Certification Command, the New Territories Command and the Ambulance Command.
 
     Addressing the parade, Mrs Lam said, “From a brigade of some 100 personnel to today’s elite force of more than 10 000 professionals is a compelling statement of the FSD and its unwavering vision – that has always been to serve Hong Kong, to make our city, our community, a safe place in which to live and work.
 
     “In the face of the rapid development of Hong Kong over the decades, members of the FSD have remained steadfast in carrying out their duties and striving for advancements in the fields of firefighting, special rescue, paramedic services, communications and fire prevention.”

     To cope with major fires and various types of special incidents, the department has over the years established a number of specialist teams to enhance firefighting and rescue capabilities of front-line personnel while promoting operational safety, she added.
 
     The Chief Executive also commended the department for strengthening exchanges and collaboration with fire and ambulance professionals of other places in recent years. Officially opened in March 2016, the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy has organised over 24 training or exchange programmes for some 400 Mainland and overseas participants.
 
     Also attending the grand parade were representatives of various policy bureaux, disciplined forces and government departments of Hong Kong as well as representatives of fire and emergency departments from different countries and regions. 
 

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East Asia