The Food and Meat Department of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) wants food vendors to get their food handler’s certificate. Acting Chief Meat and Food Inspector Onica Alleyne said that while the call was for all vendors, the M&CC was targeting persons selling food on the street.
Chief Meat and Food Inspector (ag) Onica Alleyne
“We are going to set a date for a seminar and all of those food handlers in and around the market places, and all the vending sites will be invited,” Alleyne stated. The one-day seminar is slated to be held in the M&CC’s compound. According to Alleyne, the seminar is expected to demonstrate best practices to food vendors. It will also share information on how they can attain a food handler’s certificate.
The City Hall official pointed out that food vendors have a responsibility to ensure that the food they were selling their customers was safe for consumption. Alleyne noted, “There has been a proliferation of food vending on the whole. It is very prevalent in, and around our city. If they are going to be vending food, then there are certain principles that they need to follow, so that is the reason why we need them to come on board and know what is expected of them, to do the correct thing”.
Alleyne said that while there was no fine for someone who was without a food handler’s certificate, the M&CC could seize their goods and stop operations.
