Wayside cooked-food vendors under scrutiny amid health concerns

The proliferation of roadside cooked-food vendors has come under renewed scrutiny, with concerns mounting about food safety standards amid the recent outbreak of leptospirosis in sections of western Jamaica.

Raising the issue at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Portmore Municipal Corporation, Councillor Fenley Douglas of the Waterford Division, called for the Ministry of Health and Wellness to implement stricter protocols for wayside vendors, particularly those who specialise in jerked chicken and pork.

“Based on my observations, I am making a public appeal to the Ministry of Health to pay more attention to the food industry, more so jerk food vendors,” Douglas stated.

He cited a personal experience in his own division that heightened his concern about sanitation practices. According to the councillor, he encountered jerk pans being stored in highly unsanitary conditions.

“I had the experience a couple weeks ago to be cleaning a drain where I saw several jerk pans being stored along the embankment of the drain,” he said, noting that the area is widely known for rodent infestation.

Douglas further argued that many of these vendors operate mainly at night, outside the normal working hours of public health inspectors, which limits routine oversight by the authorities. He also expressed concern that some vendors might not have completed the mandatory food handlers’ course, leaving them without basic knowledge on proper sanitation of jerk pans and other equipment.

Against what he described as the post-Melissa outbreak of leptospirosis, Douglas said urgent attention must be paid to these operations, warning that public health could be at risk if stronger monitoring measures are not enforced.

Responding to the concerns, Grayson Hutchinson, chief public health inspector for Kingston and St Andrew, acknowledged gaps in routine inspections due to the hours of operation, but insisted that some level of monitoring does occur.

“I will say that monitoring is in fact done from time to time. There are occasions when we organised teams and visit these vendors, though not on a regular basis,” Hutchinson disclosed.

He added that the public health risk associated with jerked food vending is considered medium to low, pointing out that high cooking temperatures reduce some pathogenic organisms. Hutchinson also emphasised that vendors are required by law to obtain a food handlers’ permit before commencing operations and to source chicken and meats from established outlets and recognised farmers.

Meanwhile, Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas said the municipality had previously taken steps to bring order to the sector. He revealed that vendors were organised into an association to allow for proper oversight, including requirements for purchasing meats from recognised suppliers and keeping certificates of purchase available for inspection.

Thomas said the association has since gone dormant, but pledged to oversee efforts to revitalise the initiative.

ruddy.mathison@gleanerjm.com