Letter of the Day | Branding yes, but corporate responsibility first
Published:Saturday | October 7, 2023 | 12:05 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
It is with some level of sadness that I observe public health officials taking the bold-but-necessary action to shut down the crab circle operation, a popular, even iconic, spot for motorists and pedestrians alike to purchase soups, crab and corn. Sadness, as the action will be disruptive to the source of earning for many persons and the impact on their dependants. Some may know nothing else and would possibly have engaged in the preparation and sale of foods at this location for decades.
Bundled with the sadness is disappointment as a major corporate entity had seen it fit to brand the stalls and associate the brand with the operations. I am supportive of large corporate entities associating with small and micro businesses. However, this support should stretch well past branding and have a component that assists with ensuring that the small operators comply with the regulatory requirements and stipulations, an example being food handler’s permit in this case. I sincerely believe that effective collaboration with the business entities would yield to greater compliance and avoid a disruptive and embarrassing situation like the one witnessed. Some do not comply, as they simply are unaware of the pathway to compliance.
All major corporate entities have well-documented vision and mission statements. The actions of the associations established should honour those values. Corporate social responsibility demands that standards are upheld, and compliance with those standards precedes the gains being sought by branding and marketing. I urge the corporate entities to use this incident to reset and rethink their approach.
Finally, the reactive approach to shut down the operations must, at some point, give way to proactive actions. The crab circle has been operational for a while, and at no time did there seemed to be any initiative taken to conduct health inspections with the subsequent corrective actions. ‘Compliance and continue’ should be the mantra, and preferred to reactive interventions.
PETER GRAHAM