Section 6, The Hotel and Restaurant Act, 1980

(1) Any person desirous of obtaining a licence or a variation of a licence held by him, shall apply to the Board in such form as may be prescribed. (2) An application for the grant of a licence which is in continuation of an existing licence, shall be made at least two months before the expiry date of the existing licence. (3) On receipt of an application under this section, the Board may make such investigation or require additional information as may be necessary in order to consider such application. [Margin: Application to be accompanied by Medical Certificate.] (4) The application for hotel, night club or restaurant licence shall be accompanied by a certificate issued by a Government Medical Officer not longer than three months before the receipt of the application by the Board to the effect that— (a) proper provision has been made for the sanitation of the premises for which application is made, for the storage, preparation, cooking or serving of food and drinks on the premises and for the health and comfort of persons using the premises; and (b) that the premises conform in all respects with the provision of any law relating to sanitation and public health which apply thereto. [Margin: Grant or refusal of Licence.] (5) After due consideration of the application, the Board may grant to the applicant the licence or vary the licence applied for, with such conditions as he may deem expedient, or the Board may refuse to the grant or variation of such licence. (6) The Board shall not grant a hotel, night club or restaurant licence, unless the Board is satisfied that the premises are suitable for the proposed use. [Margin: Applicant to be a fit and proper person.] (7) The Board shall not grant a Hotel Manager's Licence, Night Club Manager's Licence or Restaurant Manager's Licence unless the Board is satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to manage a hotel, night club or restaurant as the case may be. [Margin: Applicant to be fit and proper person.] (8) The Board shall not grant a Hotel Proprietor's Licence, Night Club Proprietor's Licence or Restaurant Proprietor's Licence, unless the Board is satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to carry on business as a hotel proprietor, night club proprietor or restaurant proprietor as the case may be. [Margin: Renewal of Licence not to be refused except.] (9) A renewal of licence, however, if accompanied by a certificate under sub-section (4) shall not be refused except in one or more of the cases mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 8, in which case the applicant shall be given prior opportunity to be heard. 10 No. 2 Hotel and Restaurant 1980 [Margin: Penalty.] (10) Any person who makes either orally or in writing any declaration or representation which he knows or has reason to believe to be false for the purpose of obtaining a licence or a variation thereof, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment. [Margin: Further provisions concerning licences.]