Mayor of Kingston Councillor Delroy Williams yesterday welcomed the reopening of the controversial Crab Circle operations at National Heroes’ Circle, after its closure for seven weeks due to poor safety standards.

Councillor Williams offered a special welcome to the HEART/NSTA Trust which came to the rescue of the crab vendors by assisting them in maintaining the required health and safety standards, which played a critical role in their return to the healthy activities which is the main income earner for vendors at the facility.

Councillor Williams urged the vendors to play a more crucial role in maintaining those standards they have developed.

“Small business facilities like Crab Circle have become common to Kingston and St Andrew, and they have become a part of the business structure of the city,” he told the dozens of customers, vendors and onlookers who turned up for the event at National Heroes’ Circle.

“Public confidence will only grow when the public believe that the vendors are serious enough to maintain what has been started here at Crab Circle. To all those people who have come on board and made this possible, I want to say a big thank you and I am looking forward to more positive vibes from you,” he told the crowd.

“Crab Circle was closed down because of a really unfortunate occurrence, and as a municipality we are charged with governing and creating the environment for business to flourish in Kingston and St Andrew,” he said.

The popular street food spot was closed last month after a video showing a female vendor engaged in an unsanitary act inside one of the stalls went viral. The facility was sanitised and equipped with rest rooms and mores wash stations.

On Thirsday, Member of Parliament for Kingston Western and Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie warned the vendors that they should make sure that there is no repeat of what had taken place that resulted n the closure.

He said that after Government started improvements in the facility years ago, ahead of the visit of then US President Barack Obama to Jamaica, there was an attempt to destroy the start of the project and run away the vendors, which was opposed vigorously by the Government.

“We are here to assist in any way we can, and play a crucial role in maintaining these standards. Whether you operate a restaurant, a food-processing or a retailing establishment, ensure your commitment to cleanliness. Proper food handling and sanitation must be available for the well-being of the customers and the community as a whole,” McKenzie said.