Ministry of Health and Environmental Services Parliamentary Secretary Ron Pinder said on Sunday, that, acting on numerous complaints from the public, health officials will conduct inspections on local food and convenience stores.
The inspections will begin with the City Market food store chain and continue to Super Value food stores, Early Bird food stores, John Chea Convenience stores and smaller stores, including Lil General and local meat marts.
Though such inspections by the Department of Public Health are done on a regular basis, he said, present efforts are also geared to heighten awareness among Bahamians.
According to Mr. Pinder, “The Department of Public Health have over the past weeks and months received a number of complaints as well as other information regarding sanitary conditions and poor food handling practices at a number of restaurants as well as the delis at the food market.”
Not naming any store in particular, Mr. Pinder said that inspectors, who began their impromptu perusals on Thursday, will give business owners three weeks to rectify conditions cited.
“We have embarked upon heightening our health inspection orders with respect to food stores,” he announced. “We will be looking at all aspects of cleanliness, including maintenance of the general surroundings, both inside and out.”
Areas being targeted include: Rest rooms, vents above stoves and baking utilities, ceiling tiles, food preparation surfaces, water supply, ventilation, general cleanliness and whether the establishment had a pest control contract.
Additionally, Mr. Pinder said, inspectors will also look for outdated shelf items, including canned goods, bottled items, produce, meats and dairy products, which would be immediately confiscated and destroyed.
Mr. Pinder stressed that safety standards, including requirements for health certificates are mandated by law, and anyone who chose to “ignore” such requirements would be prosecuted.
“We also want to emphasize that persons ought not to sacrifice the process for the profit,” he said. “We’ve found in many instances that persons ignore the health and safety standards in food stores simply because the profit is higher in their agenda than the process and we are seeking to minimize this.”
The public was urged to contact either the Department or the Ministry of Health concerning any unacceptable health practices observed at food stores or restaurants.
By Khashan Poitier, The Nassau Guardian
