FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1983
FURTHERMORE, ALL MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT LICENCES ALREADY ISSUED UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES ORDINANCE AT PRESENT WILL BE REGARDED AS HAVING BEEN ISSUED UNDER THIS NEW LAW ON THE DAY THE BILL COMES INTO EFFECT, AND THE LICENSING AUTHORITY WILL BE ABLE TO VARY THE CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO THESE LICENCES.
THE SPOKESMAN FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH PROVIDE GENUINE SERVICE BUT WHICH MAY CHOOSE TO OPERATE WITHOUT A LICENCE WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
THE EXISTING REQUIREMENT FOR ALL MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS TO CONFINE THEIR BUSINESS HOURS TO BETWEEN 8 AM AND 8 PM WILL BE REPLACED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF OPERATION FOR DIFFERENT ESTABLISHMENTS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DISTRICT OFFICER, AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR MASSAGE TO BE ADMINISTERED BY A PERSON OF THE SAME SEX WILL NO LONGER BE A CONDITION. HOWEVER, THESE MEASURES WILL ONLY APPLY TO NEW ESTABLISHMENTS AND EXISTING ESTABLISHMENTS IN NON-DOMESTIC PREMISES.
THE PURPOSE IS TO PERMIT A GREATER DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS OPERATE IN VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, AN ESTABLISHMENT IN AN INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CATERING FOR BUSINESSMEN AND TOURISTS CLEARLY REQUIRES TO BE OPEN FOR LONGER HOURS THAN AT PRESENT PERMITTED.
IT HAS NOW ALSO BECOME MORE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FOR MASSAGE TO BE GIVEN BY MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE, CLIENTS WILL STILL BE FREE TO CHOOSE TO BE MASSAGED BY A MEMBER OF THE SAME SEX IF THEY SO WISH.
THE SPOKESMAN REITERATED THAT THESE MEASURES ARE INTENDED TO HELP LEGITIMISE BONA FIDE ESTABLISHMENTS AND EMPHASISED THAT THERE WILL BE NO RELAXATION OF POLICE ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH ARE ONLY COVERS FOR VICE ESTABLISHMENTS AND ARE OPEN TO PROSECUTION UNDER THE CRIMES ORDINANCE.
IN FACT, UNDER THE BILL, THE PENALTY FOR OPERATING ILLEGAL ESTABLISHMENTS WILL BE A FINE OF $50 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT ON FIRST CONVICTION. ON A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION, THE PENALTY WILL BE MUCH TOUGHER AND WILL BE INCREASED TO A FINE OF $100 000 AND TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT, HE SAID,
THE MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS BILL WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 27. ITS SECOND READING IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED AND ITS THIRD READING TAKEN AT THE SITTING ON AUGUST 3.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITS PROVISIONS CAN WRITE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR TO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG
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