XN000022-1996-04-16 — Page 15

- 13 -

The operator was later charged under Section 5 of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.

A spokesman for the department said that illegal guesthouses would not be tolerated and enforcement action would continue to be taken to eliminate such premises.

He said efforts would be stepped up to ensure all guesthouses met the required building and fire safety standards and were properly licensed.

He also appealed to the public to help in the effort to crack down on unlicensed guesthouses by reporting them to the OLA on 2881 7034.

End

Woman jailed for employment contract fraud

The Immigration Department today (Tuesday) warned that all foreign domestic helpers are only permitted to perform domestic duties for their specific employers under an approved employment contract. They are liable to prosecution if they were found to have breached their condition of stay.

An Immigration spokesman said: "Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is an offence to furnish false information to immigration officers in obtaining visa for Hong Kong. Offenders, together with the aider and abettor, are liable to heavy penalty.'

The renewed warning was issued following a court case in which a Filippina was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by Western Magistracy for preparing forged employment contracts to support domestic helpers' applications for entry visa and extension of stay.

The defendant, a manageress of an employment agent, was found guilty of two counts of aiding and abetting the making of false representation to an immigration officer and one count of conspiracy to defraud.

She was prosecuted for applying entry visa and extension of stay on two separate occasions in 1991 and 1992 for a Philippines domestic helper who had never actually worked for her.