Three Old Harbour supermarkets closed after health inspection

Betta Value, Lee’s Wholesale and S-Mart supermarkets were last week issued with closure notices the state’s parish agency on health has confirmed with Old Harbour News.

In one of the notices observed by Old Harbour News on the door of Lee’s Wholesale and Supermarket on East Street, it read: “Take note that your Food Handling Establishment located at 22 East Street, Old Harbour, St Catherine has been ordered closed by the St Catherine Health Department with effect from November 14, 2013 for non-compliance under Public Health (Food Handling) Regulations of 1998. This notice will remain in force until further advised.

• Health officials investigate Old Harbour supermarket

“Any person, who destroys, defaces, removes, or incites anyone to remove, deface or destroy this notice, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding twelve (12) months imprisonment.

“Also, any person enters such premises when it is ordered closed commits a breach.”

All three supermarkets have been serving the Old Harbour community for decades, two of which are owned and operated by Chinese nationals. The other is a local family business run by natives of community.

The decision to close them follows a health inspection review of the facilities which unearthed several breaches under the Public Health Act.

The specific breaches have not been made public but were pointed out to the operators of each establishment. They were told that authorization to operate will not be granted until the breaches identified are corrected.

The closure of the three well established supermarkets occurred after a viral video, said to be taken by a now former employee of Betta Value Supermarket at Glendon Court Plaza on Vaz Drive.

In that video it highlighted unsanitary conditions in which food items for sale to the public were being stored.

This was subsequently confirmed by an inspection carried out by the St Catherine Health Department during the first week of this month.

During the inspection, the inspectors uncovered food items contaminated with rodent faeces and urine.