BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS a result of a surprise spot check by Food Inspectors on food vendors who were plying their trade on the sidewalks of downtown Basseterre on J’Ouvert morning (Dec. 26), the Environmental Health Department (EHD) has found that some of them were not complying with the standards laid down by the Department.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Patrick Martin explained that this year, unlike previous ones, the EHD had launched an exercise of unexpected spot checks on a number of areas in the heart of Basseterre, which turned up devastating findings, whilst sister island Nevis had carried out their spot checks during Culturama.
He also explained that it is the responsibility of the EHD to implement existing laws that would bring these persons in line with the required food safety standards.
“There were over 60 vendors on the road on J’Ouvert morning and we checked most of them between 8:30 and 9:45 and the officers are now preparing a report. As the Chief Medical Officer pending the official report, some food handlers displayed a satisfactory or excellent performance. Some of them were unsatisfactory and a few were in poor compliance of the rules, and what was done by the Environmental Officers were to issue cautions.”
He however noted that there are more certified persons who would have the requisite skills and proper documentation to sell food in the city, adding that persons desirous of selling food would need to undertake the necessary training programmes available to them.
“The Environmental Health Department is responsible for the implementation of those laws. Basically, persons seeking to handle food for public sale are required to be trained and certified by the Environmental Health Department on both islands. Once they successfully complete the training, they are given a Food Handlers’ Permit.”
In response to inspectors making checks during the preparation of foods, Dr. Martin said: “Because of the large number of persons handling food and the small staff, they can’t be everywhere at the same time. But they do their best, because they have to cover hotels, standard-owned restaurants and street vendors…its quite a load for the staff that we have.
“Food that is being prepared and served has certain rules that must be followed, and they know the rules. Hot foods must be served hot, cold foods must be served cold; meaning, things like mayonnaise and salad dressing must be kept on ice. If you thaw out your meat and season it up then you have to keep it on ice until you ready to use it.”
As is customary in most countries, food inspectors would be seen on the streets making frequent checks on various companies or food chains.
The CMO declared that the EHD has been providing sensitisation information to the public so that they could be their “own food inspectors”, adding that only last week information on what the public should look for was disseminated.
He advised that consumers should look for the basic information from food handlers who sell on the streets, such as their food handlers’ identification, noting that it is a picture that should be promptly displayed.
“People know the rules about not handling food and money in the same hand, and they know the rules about washing and drying of hands. They know rules about wearing knitted headdress to make sure that hair does not fall into the food. They also know the rules about keeping their area clean and things to collect garbage,” Dr. Martin explained.
When it comes to Carnival, the CMO stressed that “nobody was issued a permit to sell food for Carnival, neither a Food Handlers’ Permit nor a liquor licence. The Carnival Committee ensured that”.
“All the people you see selling in the core of Basseterre…Fort Street, Circus and the Bay Road, you will see a number painted in red that was provided by the Carnival Committee. Those persons had presented their Food Handlers’ Permit or Liquor Licence Permit to the Committee before permission was granted for them to ply their trade during Carnival,” he added.
Bins have been place along Bank Street and the Bay Road during the Carnival season for food handlers to put their garbage.
