Cherryloft resort in Pasir Ris fined over 19-pax gathering, failure to conduct entry screening

Hariz Baharudin
The New Paper
Jan 18, 2021

The Cherryloft Resorts & Hotels in Pasir Ris has been fined $1,000 and ordered to suspend bookings for a month after it breached multiple safe management measures and allowed 19 people to gather on its premises.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) yesterday said the resort will not be allowed to accept new bookings for 30 days between yesterday and Feb 15. It may continue to fulfil bookings made before yesterday.

A joint operation by STB and the police last Friday found that 19 people had gathered in two adjoining units at the resort, which was formerly known as Costa Sands.

All 19 were fined $300 each for breaching the maximum group size of eight people allowed under Singapore's phase three restrictions.

Hotels here are currently not allowed to have gatherings of more than eight people in a room or adjoining rooms, except where the gathering consists of people from the same household.

Cherryloft had also failed to conduct entry screening and ensure its guests performed SafeEntry check-ins for contact tracing, STB added. On its Facebook page, the resort says it has 180 villas.

The law requires visitors entering hotels or hostels to be screened, including having their temperature taken, before they enter the premises.

All businesses have to log the check-in of employees and visitors using SafeEntry.

STB's director of hotel and sector manpower, Ms Tan Yen Nee, said the board takes a very serious view of any lapse of safety management measures, and will not hesitate to take enforcement action for non-compliance.

"Hotel operators and members of the public are required to strictly observe prevailing Safe Management Measures at all times during their hotel stays, such as ensuring group sizes do not exceed the permissible limit," she said.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, an STB spokesman said that to date, 14 hotels and hostels have been fined or ordered to suspend bookings for breaching safe management measures.

First-time offenders who breach laws under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act may face a fine of up to $10,000, up to six months' jail, or both.

Repeat offenders may be fined up to $20,000, sentenced to a maximum of a year in jail, or both.

"Businesses that do not comply with the Government's safety management measures may also be ineligible for government grants, loans, tax rebates and other assistance," said STB.