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Singapore Tourism Board Act

(CHAPTER 305B, Sections 8 and 26)

Singapore Tourism (Licensing and Control of Tourist Guides) Regulations

Rg 1

G.N. No. S 208/1973

REVISED EDITION 1999

(1st January 1999)

[1st July 1973]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Singapore Tourism (Licensing and Control of Tourist Guides) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“licence” means a licence granted by the Board under regulation 4;

“licensee” means a person who holds a valid licence;

“tourist guide” means a person who guides tourists for remuneration.

Licence required to act as tourist guide

3.—(1) No person shall act as a tourist guide unless he is in possession of a valid licence granted by the Board under these Regulations authorising him to act as a tourist guide.

(2) Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

Application for licence

4.—(1) Any person who desires to obtain a licence shall make an application to the Board in such form as the Board may require.

(2) Upon receiving an application under paragraph (1), the Board shall consider the application and may grant a licence, with or without conditions, or refuse to grant a licence.

(3) Where the Board refuses to grant a licence, the Board shall notify the applicant of the refusal and the applicant may, within 14 days after the date of receipt of the notice, appeal to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

(4) The Board may require an applicant --

(a)	to attend and successfully complete such courses of training and pass such tests of proficiency as may be conducted or approved by the Board; and
(b)	to be certified physically and mentally fit by a registered medical practitioner of the applicant’s own choice or such registered medical practitioner as the Board may direct at the applicant’s own expense.

Duration of licence and fee

5.—(1) A licence granted by the Board shall be for a period of 3 years from the date of grant of the licence.

(2) The fee payable for every licence shall be $72.

(3) Any application for renewal of a licence shall be made one month before the licence is due to expire in such form as the Board may require.

Official badge

6. A licensee shall be issued with a badge (referred to in these Regulations as the official badge) indicating that he has a licence to act as a tourist guide.

Conditions of licence

7. A licensee shall comply with all the conditions set out in the Schedule which may be varied from time to time.

Revocation and suspension of licence

8.—(1) The Board may suspend any licence for a period not exceeding 6 months or may revoke or refuse to renew any licence if the licensee —

(a)	has in any application for a licence made any statement which is false in any material particular;
(b)	has not performed the functions of a tourist guide for a continuous period of 6 months or has not performed the minimum number of assignments required by the Board for such period;
(c)	has been convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding one month;
(d)	has been guilty of any misconduct which renders him unfit to continue to act as a licensed tourist guide;
(e)	is by reason of illness or otherwise incapable of acting as a tourist guide; or
(f)	has contravened or failed to comply with any of the provisions of these Regulations.

(2) The Board shall, before revoking or suspending any licence under paragraph (1), give the licensee concerned notice in writing of its intention to do so, specifying a date, not less than 28 days after the date of the notice, upon which the revocation or suspension shall take effect and calling upon the person concerned to show cause to the Board why his licence should not be revoked or suspended.

(3) When the Board has revoked or suspended a licence under paragraph (1), the Board shall forthwith inform the person concerned by notice in writing of the revocation or suspension.

(4) The person concerned may, within 14 days of the service of the notice referred to in paragraph (3) or such extended period of time as the Minister may allow, appeal in writing against the revocation or suspension to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

(5) A decision of the Board to revoke or suspend a licence shall not take effect while the person concerned remains entitled to appeal against the decision in accordance with paragraph (4) or while any such appeal by him awaits determination by the Minister.

(6) Where the Board has refused to renew a licence under paragraph (1), the person aggrieved by the Board’s decision may appeal to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

Return of badge and licence

9.—(1) Where a licence has been revoked or suspended, or has not been renewed or has expired or where the licensee has ceased to act as a tourist guide, the person concerned shall forthwith surrender the official badge and the licence to the Board.

(2) Any person who fails to comply with paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000.

(3) A Magistrate may order the person concerned to return the licence and the official badge to the Board.

Working during suspension and penalty

10.—(1) Where a licence has been suspended under regulation 8, the licensee shall not act as a tourist guide during the period for which the licence is suspended.

(2) Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000.

No employment of person without licence

11.—(1) No person shall employ any person who is not the holder of a valid licence granted under these Regulations to act as a tourist guide.

(2) Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

Notices from Board

12.—(1) All notices to be given by the Board under these Regulations may be given by any officer or employee duly authorised in that behalf by the Board.

(2) Every notice or document required by these Regulations to be given or served on any person may be given or served —

(a)	by delivering it to that person or by delivering it at the last known place of abode of that person to his employee or some adult member of his family;
(b)	by leaving it at the usual or last known place of abode or business of that person in a cover addressed to that person; or
(c)	by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode or business.