By Alva Solomon

TWO Chinese restaurants in New Amsterdam, Berbice were yesterday closed indefinitely for violating sanitation regulations.New Amsterdam Mayor Kurt Wynter yesterday told the Guyana Chronicle that the M&TC Public Health Department carried out a spot exercise at several restaurants at midday yesterday, and while a few eating houses were issued with warnings, the Jun Yue Chinese Restaurant on Main Road, New Amsterdam and the Lucky House Chinese Restaurant were found to have multiple

violations of the health regulations.

GROSS VIOLATIONS
“The situation at those two (was) gross,” Wynter said. He said he was present during the inspection, and one of the restaurants had food being prepared on the ground, while waste was discarded nearby.

“There was oil scum; in one instance the toilet and bath was right next to the kitchen area,” he noted.

Wynter said in other instances food was uncovered, including pasta, and was presumably readied for cooking. “A drain was running through the centre of the cooking area at one of the restaurants,” he said.

During the exercise, persons eating lunch reportedly promptly left the locations while the exercises were ongoing.

The Mayor & Town Council of New Amsterdam has said it is committed to ensuring residents are not exposed to unsanitary conditions, and will continue robust inspection initiatives to ensure adherence to local laws.

Mayor Wynter noted that the restaurants would remain closed until the proprietors have satisfactorily corrected the violations. He also noted that the council will continue to carry out its mandate, despite being cash-strapped. He said the council is “cash-strapped”, and revenue intake is slow, since persons have been hesitant to pay the requisite fees without receiving the expected services.

The council is, however, working to fix this issue, but the weather is a factor to be considered in its sanitation efforts.