Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
Municipality’s bidding to coconut vendors takes effect
– Defaulters could be fined or have merchandise seized
Coconut vendors in the city could have their merchandise seized and even destroyed if they fail to comply with the demand of the Georgetown municipality to operate in a hygienic manner.
The municipality’s bidding, which was officially brought into effect on Monday, came as result of observations that the vendors were operating in a manner that could prove hazardous to consumers’ health.
Coconut vending on North Road
The observations were made by Medical Officer of Health, Dr Bizuayehu Jeffrey, and officers of the Meat and Food Hygienic Department.
The officers, with the assistance of the Clerk of Markets, Mr Schulder Griffith, were able to mobilise and meet with the some one dozen coconut vendors around the Bourda Market area about two weeks ago.
Primary among the issues raised was the selling of coconut water in recycled plastic bottles. Several of the vendors have for many years engaged in this practice as a method of encouraging their customers to buy more than just one or two nuts.
According to one vendor, “we just try to help out consumers…Selling them water in the recycled bottles is just a convenience.”
It was highlighted at the meeting that the practice would no longer be allowed, since the bottles may not be cleaned properly for the purpose of containing a product for human consumption.
As such, the Department is calling on consumers to desist from purchasing coconut water that has been placed in recycled bottles.
And, while the health implications of this practice are many, the municipal officers have assured that consumers can still purchase water and take away, providing that they bring their own receptacles.
According to a municipal official, the hygienic demands of the municipality should have been put in place over a week ago but, due to appeals by a few vendors, the time was extended, thus making it fully effective Monday.
At the meeting with the Bourda vendors, it was agreed that vendors would comply with a decision to have five-foot-tall stalls, which must be kept in impeccable condition.
Any vendor who fails to comply with the request of the municipality would be dealt with accordingly, the City Council officials said.
The operations of the vendors will be closely monitored by the Meat and Food Inspectorate, as well as by officials with responsibility for the markets. These will be tasked with ensuring that the city by-laws are adhered to in this regard, according to the Clerk of Markets.
Among the by-laws that will govern the operations of the vendors include City Market By-law, Section 34.
This by-law states, “All meat or fish, fresh or salted, poultry, vegetables, fruits and other articles, solid or liquid intended for the food of man, offered or exposed for sale in the market, or food in the market or in any stall therein, which is in the opinion of the Clerk of Market, the Medical Officer of Health, the Meat and Food Inspector, or a Sanitary Inspector, is of a bad or unwholesome quality may be seized by any of them and destroyed, and the person offering or exposing the same for sale, and the tenant or person in charge of the stall in which the same is found shall be liable to a fine.”
The vendors could also be accused of default if they fail to comply with the labelling by-law, Griffith said. The labelling by-law states that “bottles containing any article for sale in any market shall be labelled with the name and content and in default be seized and forfeited.”
However, recent checks around the markets suggest that the vendors are complying with the request of the municipality. There was no evidence of bottles around and efforts were being made by some to improve their surroundings.
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