City hotels under microscope

Rasika SOMARATHNA

*Food Act violated

*Workers afflicted with hepatitis, diarrhoea, typhoid

*Five star hotels among culprits

Over 60 percent of Colombo city hotels flout the Food Act and established food safety practices, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC)Chief Medical Officer Dr Pradeep Kariyawasam said.

Dr Kariyawasam said that over 60 percent of the city hotels have failed to obtain medical certificates on workers’ personal hygiene and also continue to violate established food safety practices.

Out of over 550 food outlets in Colombo (five star to small eateries in Pettah), only 220 had obtained the certification from health authorities to ply their trade, he added.

According to Dr Kariyawasam most hotels do not employ qualified food handlers, which is a compulsory requirement under the Food Act. The food act stipulates the employment of at least one accredited food handler if the business revolves on food and fast food to catering services.

According to authorities, some of these hotel workers are afflicted with typhoid, diarrhoea, hepatitis and STDs. Recently, they found 12 workers with typhoid during random checks.

Several years back, a CMC study found out that nearly 30 percent of hotel help were afflicted with hepatitis. “Undergoing a health check has been made compulsory for employees in food outlets. In the process of issuing and renewing licences, hotels would be tested for levels of food handling and preparation as well as the workers’ medical condition,” sources said.

Two laboratories certified by the Health Ministry have been established to carry out medical checks. Dr. Kariyawasam yesterday said that authorities were prepared to take strict action against anyone who violate the above conditions.

The CMC is also to introduce new regulations on the sale of lunch packets, both at hotels and temporary locations, which come up within the city during the day.

Under new regulations, lunch packets should include the name of the persons or organizations of the providers, their address, the date and location where the lunch were prepared and time.

The CMC also plans to discourage the use of newspapers to wrap lunch packs and polyethylene boxes to store them. According to Dr. Kariyawasam polyethylene boxes pollute the environment. The newspapers, he says could add dust or ink to food, thus contaminating it.

According to Dr. Kariyawasam the most easy and hygienic way would be to wrap lunch packs in lunch sheets and white paper. To ensure that caterers conform to the new regulations and food safety practices when making lunch packets, the CMC has assigned 105 officers under the relevant medical officers of health to carry out inspection.

The CMC also plans to take strict action against distributors of chemically ripened fruit, un-hygienic vegetables, ice cream and spices. Dr. Kariyawasam was of the view that some producers use contaminated colouring in making ice cream and spices. Dr. Kariyawasam said that the lack of manpower under him to carry out raids was hampering CMC efforts to clean up city hotels and other unhygienic food distributions. “Our requirement is 12 food inspectors. But we only have four,” he said. He urged the public to make suggestions and complaints in this regard. All complaints would be treated confidentially and would be investigated forthwith, he assured.

The public can reach Dr. Kariyawasam or other officials at the CMC on 011-2676161, 011-2696594 and 011-2691922.