Two MoBay businessmen fined
June 03, 2006
MONTEGO BAY, St James - The two Montego Bay business operators who were charged with breaches of the Public Health (Nuisance) Regulations Act were fined $25,000 and $5,000, respectively, when they appeared in the Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
The two - Zhiang Chang Zhin, proprietor of Greatwall Supermarket at 11 Church Street, and Mark Sutherland of Sutherland Company Limited, located at 6 St James Street in the resort city - were fined after they pleaded guilty to conducting business under unsanitary conditions.
Chang Zhin was fined $25,000, or three months, while Sutherland was fined $5,000, or one month.
The court was told that the St James Municipal Police officers conducted checks at the Greatwall Supermarket on March 14 and at Sutherland Company Limited on February 22 and served notices on the business operators for conducting business under unsanitary conditions, giving them 14 days to improve the situation.
However, the conditions were not improved at the end of the 14 days and summonses were subsequently prepared and served on the operators to attend court.
Persons charged under the Public Health (Nuisance) Regulations Act can be fined up to $50,000, or sentences to 12 months imprisonment.
The St James Parish Council, in a bid to enforce the various regulations pertaining to public health and safety, has been spearheading a multi-agency task force to clamp down on offenders.
The task force includes representatives from the council, National Solid Waste Management Authority, the Public Health Department, the Island Special Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
Author: Observer Reporter
Source: Jamaica Observer
