Coronavirus: Lavender hostel and Crave nasi lemak fined for breaching stricter rules
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Gap Year Hostel (left) was fined $2,000, while nasi lemak chain Crave was fined $1,000.
PHOTOS: ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD
Tiffany Fumiko Tay
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SINGAPORE - A hostel in Lavender Street has become the first accommodation establishment to be fined under the stricter rules that kicked in last week to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Gap Year Hostel was fined $2,000 for failing to keep a daily record of individuals who leave the premises, Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a joint statement on Friday (April 17).
All hostels, guest houses and boarding houses are required to keep such a daily record under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act passed on April 7. First-time offenders face fines of up to $10,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
The STB said the lapse came to light during a check on Wednesday, and added that it will be stepping up enforcement efforts to ensure hotel and hostel operators are in compliance with the rules.
Nasi lemak chain Crave has also been fined $1,000 for failing to put safe distancing measures in place at its Lot One Shoppers' Mall outlet. It had allowed customers and delivery personnel to crowd together without securing 1m spacing between people on the premises.
Checks by the two agencies between Monday and Thursday also resulted in 13 businesses that provide non-essential services being ordered to shut.
They include tuition agencies, health food retailers, wellness and beauty product shops and an automotive parts retailer.
Staff of businesses allowed to remain open during the month-long circuit breaker were also caught in the enforcement sweep.
Eleven workers at food and beverage establishments, hair salons and supermarkets were fined $300 each on Thursday for failing to wear face masks.
Wearing a mask outside of home is mandatory for all but children under the age of two. This includes those who work in back-end operations in essential services.
