Dear Sir

PLETHORA OF FOOD JOINTS

I have lived in various Caribbean islands before settling down in Anguilla over the past five years, and this has allowed me to see certain changes in the Anguillian society that should make us all think.

In this Letter to The Editor, which I would be grateful to you for publishing, I would like to refer to the increasing number of what I refer to you as “a plethora of food joints” because of their prevalence and obviously hastly establishment at or near road sides.

To my recollection, it was never really part of the Anguillian culture to have these kinds of food joints but, admittedly, times have changed and, of course, we are blown by every wind that blows, by ‘follow fashion’ and by the desire to make money easily, quick and fast. The society is also becoming very ravenous. Just the other day I saw a small area of land being cleaned off, then a truck came and dumped some whitish soil there. I wondered what was happening near the road and then, the next day, up went a rickety tent and food being served.

I hasten to say here that nothing is wrong with having a multiplicity of local and well-ordered restaurants and cafes, but I am wondering whether enough attention is being paid to the hygienic conditions surrounding the setting up of some of the sudden food joints. It is certainly not enough for the Environmental Unit of the Health Authority to issue permits to food handlers who turn up for them. There is a need for on-the-spot visits to check out the set-ups and what sanitary facilities exist there.

There is another side, I think, to these food joints including stalls selling produce and various other items. I also see these as signs of the times that things are getting hard in Anguilla and people want to make a quick and additional dollar to offset the high cost of living and the now growing unemployment situation. I am of the view, however, that there must be some control measures governing the location of hurriedly set-ups for cooking and sale of food before it gets out of hand and compromises some of the touristic features of our island and its environment.

Observer

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