The Environmental Health Department has threatened tough action on food handlers during the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) and other events during the Independence season.
Speaking at a WCMF press conference on Wednesday, Clara Charles, Senior Environmental Health Officer with responsibility for food safety, Clara Charles, said the department will take a zero tolerance approach to food handlers.
“During this event, we will ensure that we will be having a zero tolerance for all food handlers and that we will be performing the necessary steps to ensure that all food handlers and vendors comply with the requirements of the Environmental Health Department,” she stated.
She said over the past month the department has been active and over 570 food handlers have been trained.
“Currently, we are conducting assessments of all vendors, accomodations and caterers for this event,” she pointed out. “Closer to the event we will be conducting vector control surveillance and this will be done within the perimeters of the stadium and this will also include fogging activities.”
Charles noted that throughout the event the department will conduct monitoring of liquid and solid waste activities and also conduct assessments of all food stalls to include the main food court areas, the VIP sections, artistes and media refreshment areas.
She said in support of the WCMF, the department has organized an event’s training session for all vendors.
“This training will be held on Wednesday 19, October for vendors who will take part in the WCMF, Creole Bord La Mer , Creole in the Park, NCCU Cadance Lypso,” Charles said. “This is not a food handlers’ training session, however, it is a session to inform the vendors of what is it that we expect from them and what are the requirement that we expect them to go through while vending at these events.”
Why only during WCMF? why not all year round? isnt that your job? Do you only work seasonally? is it only when we expect guest that these maters are addressed? all off a sudden you want to get tough, all of a sudden road being patched, all of a sudden bush cutting. but for the rest of the time it can stay so that good enough for Dominicans. Not just the government but the citizens too in some respects. I cannot understand how we operate here.
Environmental health department needs to be present year round, not just for seasonal events. The tourists are not the only ones to take care of. Be vigilant of the health of the citizens on a daily basis. Too many unacceptable so-called restaurants operate in the country. Don’t just issue licenses; Do inspections on a regular basis and do pop-ups now and then. Many of the restaurants are too nicely painted on the outside, but the kitchen would make you cry…….
Health is wealth………..
Well yes papa. It seems we harder on vendors than we are on corruption. Boy look row row
Ya Boy! i want to eat good food & drink
dont you want to eat good food and drink all year round? and not have to worry about your next bill
Shaka Zulu I shared the same sentiments. It looks as if the law miraculously sprung into existence to affect those who through this opportunity is looking to make an honest and strived for dollar while out PM is donating thousands to other places. Its like a mother giving bread to a child who says that it is hungry and then the child turns around and give the bread to the dogs.
The environmental health office should be on top of things year round and ensure that restaurants and bars, snackettes and food vans, stall and individual vendors are spot checked to ensure compliance. Not wait when WCMF or Christmas is around the corner to come make a post of this sort. The director should be ashamed because it only shows that nothing was being done form January to now.
The only sound advice,If you want to avoid getting sick, don’t buy from street stalls, especially at these events because a lot of vendors are opportunistic operators without the proper equipment/conditions/storage to safeguard food.
Did you report what you see its our country and there is a place and someone to report to so if you see something say something don’t wait to put it on social media just to say you on the news.
that department just like planning dpt is a waste of TWX payers money! I made a report about a guy dumping garbage by the bayside about 6 months ago and nothing has been done the guy goes on his merry business of polluting the place and they see it daily still no fine no charge nothing
I hate when government officials come out talking about being tough on enforcement during a particular season. What have you guys been doing all year. Zero tolerance should be the mode of operation at all times. It helps establish a safety culture. What happen? You guys slack of the rest of the year when doing your jobs? Should food handlers lower the standards during the rest of the year. Your enforcement can only be as tough as what is in the books so just enforce the darn laws an make it a habit not an exception.
Why don’t you all go to the Laplane Pig Farm and institute a zero tolerance on the owner for polluting the environment?? Is on the poor vendors trying to eek out a living in this tough economic times all have strength? Please check the bars and vendors owned by the big boys first because is they so who care less about permits because they know they are “protected”
Always assertive!