MONTEGO BAY, St James — Alarmed at the health risk posed by the minuscule number of food vendors on the streets of Montego Bay who have been given the green light by the health ministry, acting mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, last Thursday pushed health officials to outline their plan to address the issue.

According to chief public inspector for St James Sherika Lewis, there are more than 600 food vendors and fewer than five per cent of them have received food handler’s permits from the Ministry of Health and Wellness. She was providing an update during the regular monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation after Vernon pressed her for specific numbers.

“What is going to happen now then? That is glaring. How are we going to approach that from our standpoint as the local board of health and as the health services? What strategies do you think we can put in place?” the acting mayor asked in responding to the disappointing numbers.

Lewis suggested the use of campaigns across the parish to educate and encourage vendors to comply with the stipulated health protocols.

“What we have done in the past was to conduct food drives for these itinerant vendors. I know that at some of the schools we have done a hand-washing programme with them where we provided a makeshift hand-washing station,” she said, adding that similar food drives could be staged by the health ministry working in collaboration with the municipal corporation.

It has been difficult, she said, regulating food vendors.

“They are a challenge to us. Food vending is basically a cultural practice, and it may be difficult to fully dismantle these persons. So I believe that the municipal corporation can look deeply into structuring these persons in terms of having vending zones, so it is easier for us to monitor and control their practices,” said Lewis.

However, pointing out that these vendors are “important players” in the parish’s economy, Vernon clarified that the municipal corporation is not asking the health department to “dismantle” their operations, “but to ensure that the people who they serve are not compromised”.

“We have been looking at the vending zones, but food vending is a whole different game. We are not… for dismantling any of that operation. We are more for fostering growth in these small businesses,” the acting mayor said.

“We want to enhance what they do. It is not a situation where we want to dismantle or discourage them,” he added.

“There are complaints coming in where [individuals] have reported some type of illness based on purchasing food from certain locations. It is a serious matter and I think that is something that we have to do now. We have to get on top of it immediately,” Vernon urged.