Garth Rattray | The public health bligh blight

It’s one thing for the powers that be to give our less fortunate citizens (especially their grassroots voter base) a ‘bligh’, but it’s quite another thing to facilitate breaking the laws designed to protect the public. Such blighs feed into the ‘eat a food’ and ‘try a ting’ mentality. They normalise the indiscipline and illegality so prevalent in Jamaica today. The preponderance of streetside food vendors always makes me wonder if the public health is being safeguarded.

Aside from the fact that sidewalk vending requires special [temporary] permission, there are public health regulations that must be adhered to. Anyone whose work involves handling any kind of food [for public consumption], and anyone working in a food-handling establishment must have a valid Food Handler’s Permit. This includes cashiers, managers, merchandisers, and waiters.

The Food Handler’s Permit application form has personal information, a few simple health questions, a cursory (observational) physical examination, and confirmation of a compulsory educational session. Our Public Health Food Handling Regulations are stringent. They require that Public Health Inspectors visit food establishments, and that specified requirements be met.

Street vending establishments/stalls where food is going to be handled must have a wash basin, [running] water on site for food preparation, to wash hands, the food, contact surfaces, utensils, and cookware. There must be soap for washing hands, sanitiser for the utensils and cookware, and hand-drying capabilities. There must also be a non-contact waste disposal container, and a container large enough to accommodate all the ‘grey water’… the water after it is used to wash hands and cookware. It should not be simply discarded in the street, or in nearby bushes.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Other requirements need to be met for all food establishments and for the people handling food. The food source must be documented, safe and comply with the law. The food must be stored at specified temperatures, using appropriate thermometers to ensure accuracy and food safety. The authorities are supposed to make several visits to the site, and the valid permits should be displayed conspicuously. The licences are valid for one year and must be renewed.

There are a myriad of other requirements, rules and regulations that food handlers and food establishments must adhere to. They have to do with personal care and hygiene, clothes, hair restraints, smoking, and the environment in which the food is prepared and/or sold. Food establishments located within permanent structures must comply with many additional rules and regulations concerning plumbing and solid waste disposal, furniture, and other concerns particular to that type of establishment.

The number of portable, small business food vendors that appear at nights, or pop up near entertainment venues is remarkable. I can’t imagine that they have the requisite permissions or are being inspected by the authorities in order to confirm adherence to the laws for the protection of the public.

Sometimes solid structures are [illegally] constructed on public sidewalks, causing complete obstruction of the sidewalk, depriving pedestrians, especially those with physical disabilities, of the safety that sidewalks were designed to provide, and snaring vehicular traffic. An example is a commercial structure that completely occupies the sidewalk on Carter Avenue in St Andrew. I know for a fact that the municipality was forewarned of its construction many years ago. Nothing was done about it, and it endangers pedestrians and restricts the flow of vehicular traffic by its mere presence close to the intersection with Hagley Park Road. Even a TVJ exposé had absolutely no effect. Shockingly, that structure is built on a peripheral wall belonging to the Ministry of Local Government … the very authority responsible for the municipality!

GIVEN BLIGH

It is either that the Ministry of Local Government is incredibly incompetent, or someone high up has sanctioned (given a bligh to) the blatant flouting of the law by permitting the illegal and endangering structure to remain. If the authorities really want to assist our less fortunate, they must do it within the law and by adhering to the health regulations. They should inset that peripheral wall and allow the vendors to occupy that space created on the land owned by the ministry and provide proper sanitation facilities. That way, the health of the public will be protected, and the sidewalk and safety will be restored.

Interestingly, those same authorities will aggressively pursue and severely pressure and punish the rest of us if we so much as commit the tiniest of breeches. The full force of the law is brought to bear on most citizens, while the entitled beneficiaries of blighs operate outside the law with the blessings of the said authorities.

We also see J. Wray & Nephew supporting and advertising at or on some of these sidewalk food vending establishments. Doing so validates them and gives them credibility. Big businesses have an ethical responsibility to ascertain the legality of such structures and to ensure that they are complying with all our laws, including public health laws, before facilitating them with their advertising material. In so doing, they associate themselves with illegal and unhygienic practices.

The government failed to give us a proper standard of care and protection. However, this is Jamaica … don’t hold your breath for any investigation at the relevant authorities, or for any individuals to be held accountable for the Heroes Circle crab vending or for any similar illicit food vending. There will be the usual dismissive silence, and this will blow over.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.