St. James Parish Council to look into Breaches of Public Health Regulations

The St. James Parish Council is spearheading the formation of a multi- agency task force to look into breaches of the public health and other regulations governing the operation of businesses in the parish.
The move follows the recent ordered closure of some grocery retail outlets and prosecution of business operators for breaches under the National Solid Waste Management and the Spirit Licences Acts.
Ian Reid, Secretary/Manager of the Council, told JIS News that following a March 13 operation led by the Council and included personnel from the St. James Health Department, National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF), three supermarkets were ordered closed, and 12 businesses were issued summonses under the National Solid Waste Management Act, for disposing their waste in a manner that was contrary to the Act.
“We also warned six businesses under the Spirit Licence Act for operating without spirit licences and we served notices on a number of businesses for violation of the public cleansing regulation,” he said further.
He told JIS News that the activities of the multi-task force would first be concentrated on businesses in the city of Montego Bay and then move on to other areas of the parish.
Mr. Reid pointed out that this new thrust was to ensure that food establishments and other businesses operated within the existing regulations. He said the aim was to protect the health and safety of the residents and visitors to the parish.