The St James Public Health Department is reminding citizens that only meats currently approved in Jamaica should be consumed, this after the discovery of crocodile remains at a food establishment in the parish capital of Montego Bay.
Acting Chief Public Health Inspector Sherika Lewis revealed the disturbing news during Thursday's St James Municipal Corporation's (STJMC) monthly meeting.
But the failure of the official to name the offender or the establishment in question, irked Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor the Montego Bay North Western Division, Charles Sinclair, who is also a Government Senator.
Prior to Sinclair expressing his displeasure with the reporting by the acting chief public health inspector, Lewis said she understood that some persons may have what she described as "exotic" tastes.
"I want to remind persons that though we may have exotic taste(s) and want to consume various types of meats, we want to ensure that the meats or the animals that are currently approved as meat in Jamaica are animals such as bulls, steer, cow, or other description of cattle, pigs, sheep, lamb, goat or kid, rabbits, or other such mammals, and includes poultry, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowls, or any other birds reared to produce meat," she informed.
Lewis said the "food-handling establishment" in question was previously shut down by the health department.
"So, it was upon us (health inspectors) going for a revisit, because they called us to say they are ready for reopening. So, when we went there and did the second inspection, the carcass was found," the acting chief public health inspector said.
She said the establishment was closed at the time, and no operation was taking place.
When asked if the owner of the establishment was prosecuted, Lewis said: "NEPA was contacted, and they are in the process of carrying out legal action against the offender."
However, she did not name the offender.
Charles Sinclair
Sinclair questioned the purpose of publicly disclosing the information, suggesting it could sensationalise the issue. He also took issue with the non-disclosure of the entity in question to the public.
"The public health (department) should also give the public notice that any particular place that is operating below the standard(s) that are anticipated, the public must be aware (of it)," Sinclair declared.
He said other investigations should be ongoing to determine where the crocodile carcass came from.
"So to come here and create what I am going to say... A bet you look at the headline in a every media tomorrow or the next day or so forth, you going to hear, 'Oh, crocodile', whatever!
"But you cannot come here in a public forum and say that (you are not naming the offender). What was the purpose of saying it? What? To create a headline, Oh, 'The public health department notified the public'; that isyour duty," Sinclair insisted.
Sinclair, a former Mayor of Montego Bay, was quick to point out that he was not bashing the public health department.
At that juncture, the present Montego Bay Mayor, Richard Vernon, interjected and asked Lewis whether there was a non-disclosure protocol that she had to observe relative to not naming the entity.
In response to the points raised by Sinclair, Lewis said the matter of the crocodile carcass was brought to the attention of the public because the health department wanted "persons to be aware of what are the animals in Jamaica that are legally noted as meat or food".
She elaborated that persons were coming to the health department to enquire about the incident at the particular establishment, and so, the department wanted to give advice to persons.
In relation to the non-disclosure of the offender, Lewis said based on "certain policies and protocols", the health department does not "necessarily announce the name of persons and companies".
Meanwhile, Lewis said an ongoing meat drive, which involves inspections of local food establishments, has already yielded significant results.
Fifteen meat shops in St James have been checked, with eight found satisfactory and seven unsatisfactory.
