NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Owners of a Chinese-owned supermarket in this resort town will know today if it will remain open following an ultimatum Friday to correct alleged public health breaches.

The deadline to have problems corrected by today was given on Friday after Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie and other agencies toured the food facility.

“They have 24 hours to remedy the situation. And, if it is not done within 24 hours, on Monday morning when we come back, we will close it,” stated a stern mayor of Savanna-la-Mar Bertel Moore.

The municipal council allege that the supermarket, housed in a derelict building, is filthy, has an infested store room, electrical installation faulty, and has expired food products on shelves, to include infant formula, which expired five months ago.

“From March! There are some things inside there (supermarket) that expired from the month of March, and now is August, and they are still on the shelves. And what beats me more than all, is the baby food,” said Mayor Moore.

“When someone come in, do not look on the expiry date, they go home and give it to their little babies, anything can happen to those children. They (supermarket operator) have to get rid of those things now,” the mayor added.

“It is a shame to see something like this in the town of Negril. When you look inside there, the bottles, the garbage, everything like that; no, man, it cannot continue like this. We will have to take down this old building here. It is too shabby to be in the town…” stated Mayor Moore.

Friday afternoon’s enforcement operation by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Westmoreland Health Department, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation followed directives given by the Minister McKenzie, who had toured the town earlier that morning on an invitation from the Negril Chamber of Commerce.

“I have been there (supermarket) this morning and what I have seen is what I can only describe as disgraceful. There are so many violations in that establishment,” disclosed McKenzie.

“I have [also] given some instructions to the mayor that there are some encroachments that are taking place and that the necessary notices must be served for those encroachments to be removed, and if they are not removed by the owners, then the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation has the right under the law to remove those encroachments,” said McKenzie.

President of Negril Chamber of Commerce Daniel Grizzle said the aim was not only to write and complain, but to invite the minister to see first-hand some of the issues.

“We have been getting complaints about the filthiness of the town, the shabbiness of the town, the dirtiness of the town, and that is why we called the minister responsible, not just to write and complain, but actually to let him come and see for himself. Because that is all that the chamber can do, is to draw attention to these things; we have no power to take any action,” stated Grizzle.

On the other hand, McKenzie said there are a number of things wrong in the town which are not the responsibility of the Government alone to respond to such concerns.

“But, arising out of the discussion with the chamber and other members of the Negril community, I think that there will be some positive outcome base on meetings had so far,” stated McKenzie.

Among topics discussed at the meeting called by the chamber are solid waste management, the state of the Negril town, the proposed establishment of a fruit and vegetable market for vendors, the proposed establishment of a new town centre for Negril, and a proposal for Negril to be given municipality status.