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TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1990
OF
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE TO REQUIRE ALL THESE ESTABLISHMENTS TO BE LICENSED AT ONE TIME DUE To RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS AND THE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS FACING THEM.
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THE PLANNING COMMITTEK HAD THEREFORE RECOMMENDED THAT THE LICENSING SYSTEM SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN PHASES.
HAD ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRST PHASE SHOULD COVER ONLY GUESTHOUSES FOR BUDGET TOURISTS AND HOTELS.
HAS
"IN RECOMMENDING THE PRIORITY FOR LICENSING, THE COMMITTEE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT GUESTHOUSES IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS POSE HIGHER RISK, PARTICULARLY TO TOURISTS WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH LOCAL CONDITIONS, AND THAT THE IMAGE OF HONG KONG AS A TOURIST CENTRE SHOULD BE PROTECTED," MR FUNG NOTED.
HE SAID THE LICENSING PROCEDURES WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO THREE STAGES NOTIFICATION, PROCESSING, AND COMPLIANCE.
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THE NOTIFICATION STAGE WOULD LAST FOR THREE MONTHS, COMMENCING ON THE DATE OF ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION FOR THE LICENSING SYSTEM. DURING THIS STAGE, THE OPERATORS OF ALL TYPES OF EXISTING GUESTHOUSES WOULD BE REQUIRED ΤΟ NOTIFY THE LICENSING AUTHORITY OF THEIR OPERATIONS,
THE OPERATORS WOULD
THEN BE GRANTED EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES WHICH WOULD EXEMPT THEM FROM LICENSING UNTIL SUCH TIMK AS SUCH CERTIFICATES WERE REVOKED.
OF THE
IN THIS REGARD, ESTABLISHMENTS COVERED BY PHASE SCHEME WOULD HAVE THEIR EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES REVOKED 24 MONTHS AFTER THE END OF THE NOTIFICATION PERIOD.
HAVE
DURING THIS 24-MONTH GRACE PERIOD, THE OPERATORS SHOULD OBTAIN то A LICENCE FROM THE LICENSING AUTHORITY; OTHERWISE THEY WOULD CEASE BUSINESS, MR FUNG SAID.
NEW GUESTHOUSES FOR BUDGET TOURISTS AND HOTELS ΤΟ BE OPENED AFTER THE NOTIFICATION PERIOD WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN A LICENCE BEFORE COMMENCING BUSINESS.
ESTABLISHMENTS NOT COVERED BY PHASE I WOULD BE GRANTED EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES. IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED, THE LICENSING AUTHORITY WOULD CONSIDER THE TIMING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE II OR ANY FURTHER PHASES.
ALL LICENCES AND EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES WOULD ANNUALLY, AND LICENSED GUESTHOUSES WOULD BE INSPECTED TO THEY CONTINUED TO COMPLY WITH THE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.
B& RENEWED ENSURE THAT
AUTHORITY
MR FUNG SAID IT HAD BEEN PROPOSED THAT THE LICENSING SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE A LICENCE IF LICENSING CONDITIONS WERE NOT COMPLIED WITH, AND THAT OPERATING A GUESTHOUSE WITHOUT A LICENCE, AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS FOR LICENCE SHOULD BE CRIMINAL, OFFENCES.
OBTAINING
A
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