KINGSTON, Jamaica— Beginning Tuesday, October 17, food vendors in the Corporate Area will be participating in a five-day training programme being offered by the HEART/NSTA Trust in proper food-handling and preparation.

The programme participants will include vendors from Crab Circle.

The announcement of the partnership involving the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), HEART/NSTA Trust, Public Health Department, and the Social Development Commission (SDC) comes in light of a video circulating highlighting a vendor at Crab Circle in Kingston engaging in an unsanitary act.

Health officials have shut down the popular food spot since the video has made the rounds.

READ: WATCH: Health officials shut down Heroes Circle crab stalls after viral video

Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, provided an update during Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the KSAMC at the Corporation’s offices in downtown Kingston.

“It covers a lot in terms of occupational health standards and general professionalism in administering and operating within food facilities, and it ranges from dress, safety gears, and preparation of food [to] sanitisation in food facilities,” he said

“We are partnering with HEART Trust to begin training of food vendors in facilities across the Municipality. But we have also said that we believe that this has to be across the country, not just across Kingston and St Andrew,” Williams added.

The Mayor informed that the training programme has its own evaluation and assessment.

“The assessment would also include a practical, meaning they would have to prepare a meal and be observed by assessors to ensure that they are observing the requirements and standards necessary for food preparation and handling,” he further indicated.

Senator Williams said civic pride, pride in one’s self, proper hygienic practices and personal responsibility are critical, particularly in food preparation and handling.

The mayor advised that vendors at Crab Circle have extended their apologies to the nation and indicated their willingness to participate in the programme.

Additionally, he suggested that a policy for street-side food vending be developed.

Senator Williams emphasised that street-side vending and street-side food vending form a critical part of Jamaica’s economy, noting that many households depend on it.

“It can’t be that we’re just saying close them down because that can’t be the approach; and it can’t be that we are also just saying construct sanitary facilities everywhere you have street vending or street-food vending. So I think it requires some proper thinking into how we address the issue and approach the issue as a nation,” he stated.

Senator Williams pointed out that “as Mayor, I am not here to hide from the issue; I am neither here to assign blame”.

“That’s not the approach [that] I think is necessary now. The approach is to develop a policy towards these facilities and find solutions,” he maintained.

-JIS