Mayor of Kingston Delory Williams is predicting that Crab Circle will be back in operation within another month, once the location has met the requirements of the Kingston and St Andrew (KSA) Health Department.

The mayor, while speaking during a local radio programme on Wednesday, October 11, said: “As long as we are able to put in the measures that the public health would have recommended, I would say yes…I would say in probably another month.”

Among the steps being taken is to engage vendors in the Corporate Area in a training programme provided by the HEART/NSTA Trust, which exposes them to best practices in food handling and preparation.

“We have engaged the HEART/NSTA Trust in a partnership and so they will begin the small food facility operations course, beginning next week and that course will go a far way. After that, there will be different courses they will continue to do, but that I believe is a major start and we are looking at additional things we can do to the area which we are discussing with the public health,” he added.

Williams, who noted that the recent incident is hurting food vendors across the country, said: “With this we have to take the opportunity, we have to look for the way forward. We have to find the solutions and part of the solution for me, has to be training and certification. It has to be focused also on the individual and changing practices.”

The mayor’s announcement follows a viral video that surfaced on social media showing a vendor carrying out an unhygienic act in a stall at Crab Circle in Heroes Circle, Kingston.

The Kingston and St Andrew (KSA) Health Department has since ordered the vendors to cease operation, attributing the closure to non-compliance with public health regulations.

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has called for Crab Circle to remain closed until the required public health and safety standards, as well as vending regulations are met.

Natalie Neita Garvey, opposition spokesperson on local government, stressed that despite renovations to the location, there was no structured inspection programme in place and crucial facilities like bathrooms and running water were conspicuously missing.