By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
COME WEDNESDAY, the Falmouth market in Trelawny home of the Caribbean's most popular flea market will reopen its doors to the public following its month long closure.
The Trelawny Public Health department yesterday afternoon gave the thumbs up for the re-opening of the popular Wednesday 'Ben dung' market, after a thorough inspection of the site.
Dr. Maung T. Aung, Medical Officer of Health for Trelawny, disclosed that he would today send written confirmation to the Parish Council advising the agency that it has permission to re-open the market on Wednesday.
"So far the Parish Council has been informed verbally that it can reopen the market on Wednesday, but on Tuesday, we will be giving them a written confirmation notice to reopen," Dr. Aung told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday.
IMPROVEMENT
And pointing out that he is "very satisfied" with the improvement he has observed at the market, Dr. Aung emphasised that the Parish Council must be vigilant in maintaining the facility.
"The drains in and around the market will need to be maintained on an ongoing basis to ensure that they do not revert to the unhealthy conditions, which the clogged drains helped to create, a few weeks ago," insisted Dr. Aung. Dr. Aung issued a warning to fish vendors, telling them to refrain from using the market compound and areas outside the building for conducting their business, noting that "they now have very hygienic conditions in the newly renovated fish/meat unit to conduct business."
"Shoppers must also realize that it is in the best interest of their health to buy meat in the fish and meat section of the market, which has good sanitation measures; and not outside the market, as pertained a few months ago," Dr. Aung stated.
PUBLIC HEALTH BREACHES
On February 22, the Falmouth Market was order closed by the public health department, because of failure by the council to correct blatant public health breaches at that facility. The Local Government Ministry came to the council's rescue and granted $2.5 million for repairs to be effected on the facility.
Among the improvement implemented under the renovation exercise were the paving of most of the market compound, the replacement of malfunctioning bathroom fixtures; the painting, meshing and overhauling of the fish/meat unit; upgrading of the haberdashery section and the cleaning of drains.
Falmouth's Mayor Jonathan Bartley, in welcoming the reopening of the market, said: "I feel good that despite the shortage of funds, we were able to do a major upgrading of the market. I thank the vendors for their patience, but I am also urging them to take good care of their improved location."
