19 people fined for staying in adjoining units at Cherryloft resort in Pasir Ris, chalet to suspend bookings
SINGAPORE — Nineteen people were issued composition fines of S$300 each on Friday (Jan 15) for gathering in two adjoining units at the Cherryloft Resorts & Hotels, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on Sunday.
Cherryloft, located close to Downtown East in Pasir Ris, was also fined S$1,000 and ordered not to accept new bookings for 30 days from Sunday to Feb 15.
The resort, which also holds a hotel licence, may still fulfil existing bookings made before Sunday.
Cherryloft had breached multiple safe management measures put in place to limit the spread of Covid-19, the STB said.
It did not conduct entry screening, such as temperature checks, and failed to ensure that guests performed SafeEntry check-ins for the purpose of contact tracing.
Under the law, every guest or visitor entering hotels or hostels need to be screened, including having their temperature taken, before they enter the premises. All businesses are also required to log the checking-in of employees and visitors using SafeEntry.
Enforcement officers from the police and the STB had found the 19 people staying in adjoining units during a joint operation on Friday.
In Phase Three of Singapore’s reopening, which began on Dec 28 last year, only eight people are allowed to gather in public.
Hotels are also required to disallow gatherings of more than eight people in guest rooms or adjoining guest rooms, unless the gatherings comprise those from the same household.
Businesses that do not comply with safe management measures may also be ineligible for government grants, loans, tax rebates and other assistance, the STB said on Sunday.
Last month, two Resorts World Sentosa hotels — the Beach Villas and Equarius Hotel — were penalised for letting 15 to 16 guests gather in a room and violating other safety measures. The hotels were banned from accepting new bookings from Dec 22 to Jan 21.
Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, first-time offenders can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or face both penalties.
Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year or fined up to S$20,000, or both.
