Minister of Health has meeting with food safety workshop provider

The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor Cornelius de Weever met with Michael Somersall, the General Manager of Steflogix, currently providing certified food safety workshops for staff and managers in the restaurant and food industry on St. Maarten.

 

Minister de Weever was updated on the latest developments in the food industry and some of the challenges that are being faced in the market. "We want to work together with the food industry in providing useful and necessary training in the areas of food handling and the cooking of food. That is why we are doing these food safety workshops. We are dealing with such issues as: safe food preparation, cross contamination, temperature control, receiving and storing food, cleaning and sanitation, among other topics.

 

"Once food handlers, cooks, chefs, and other follow these instructions, there will be no need to worry when the health inspectors visit the establishment. But we have to be on the safe side. We have to handle food properly," Minister de Weever continued.

 

The courses, for both staff and management, specifically tailored to each, are authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor.

 

During the meeting, Mr. Somersall, a former civil server, went over the curriculum of the food safety course for staff and managers, the certification process, overview of the first 6 months, the challenges and recommended solutions.

 

In the near future, there will be the introduction of the Food Safety Card, of which the Minister was the first to receive an example of (see photo). This card will identify workers and managers as having completed and passed the food safety course.

 

All food handlers on St. Maarten must possess a valid Food Handlers Certificate or Food Safety Manager Certificate. As an operator of a food establishment, it is required to ensure that workers possess a valid Food Handler Certificate and maintain a copy of their certificate on-site. The certificates are valid for two years.

 

Besides persons mentioned, present at the meeting were: Dr. Earl Best, Inspector General and Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg – Head Collective Prevention Services—both of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor.