KFC TOLD TO CLEAN UP

The Port-of-Spain City Corporation yesterday released the names of 12 food outlets which voluntarily closed be-cause the Public Health De-partment (PHD) found they were not up to public health standards. Among them were the popular KFC fast food restaurants in St James and Independence Square. The round-the-clock chicken PoS outlet was closed for a few hours on two days because of roach infestation. At a media briefing at the Council Chamber on Knox Street yesterday, Chief Public Health Inspector Sayad Ali said “general housekeeping” (eg dirty floors etc) and structural defects were the infractions which caused temporary closure of KFC, Western Main Road (WMR); Dairy Bar, Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) compound; Maxi Asso-ciation building cafeteria, PTSC compound, KFC Independence Square, Wing Kong Restaurant, Broadway; Dragon Boys, Inde-pendence Square; Hong Sing Restaurant, 2A Charlotte Street; Payless Supermarket, 99-101 Charlotte Street; Dairy Bar 151 WMR, St James, and Lanyap Grill, 97 WMR, St James.

Another business place which was mentioned but not included on the list was the Gelato Ice Cream outlet on the Church’s Chicken premises.
The media was told that some of its ice cream had to be removed from shelves after tests at the Public Health Lab confirmed the presence of faecal contaminants. Chief executive officer of the PoS Corporation, Loraine Alexander, said the factory is no longer operational. Attempts to get comments from the proprietors were futile as  cellphones were switched off. Approximately 250 food sellers were visited in a routine surveillance exercise which began in the first week of October and ended last Friday. Ali said 90 percent of businesses were found to be in compliance with public health standards. Of the ten percent which did not comply for “various reasons,” he said the PHD found that many infractions were the result of unauthorised premises.

Ali chided the media for giving inaccurate information about the closure of premises. He said, “The Public Health Inspectorate is not mandated by any law to close down any food premises willy nilly fashion.” Ali said there is a process to be followed which involved notification of the managers of businesses about the corrections which must be made. “Failing to comply with this list we would then proceed with any court matter.” Ali said getting permission to close a business via the courts can take an “inordinately long period of time, and while we await the court, the nuisance usually still exists.”

He said it was very frustrating to be working with archaic laws, but in the absence of modern public health laws, the PHD must continue using “education methods” to get people to understand their infractions and take the necessary corrective measures. The 12 places closed did so voluntarily; court action was not taken against them. “Out of the 12, eight places had completely complied with all the infractions we observed during the exercise. Among the other four, KFC PoS and Lanyap Grill have started complying and we are monitoring.” There were mixed reactions downtown to the findings of the PHD.

It was business as usual at KFC Independence Square. Anna, from Arima who was about to eat her meal of KFC spicy crispy chicken and fries told Newsday: “I have no problem. I eat out as long as I don’t see it. It does not bother me. I go to different places to eat.” However, she also said health is important. Colin, a visitor from Guyana said he has often patronised KFC Independence Square. He said KFC is established worldwide and he has never had a problem with the food. Afeisha from Arima and Stefan said it was a disgrace for KFC to have a problem with roaches. “If roaches are there, obviously the place is not clean,” Afeisha said.