Gov't moves to extend validity of food handler's permits to two years

 

Applying for food handler's permits could soon become easier and less frequent, as the government moves to extend the validity of the permits from one year to two. 

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says the recommendation for the upgrading of the application process was brought to Cabinet for decision.

 

"We had announced in the Sectoral [Debate] that we're going to modernise the process and Cabinet has approved amendments to the Public Health Act and its regulations to modernise the Food Handler's Permit Programme. What this will do is extend the validity of a food handler's permit from one year to two years. So for those persons who apply and are successful, and meet all the health requirements for handling food for the public, they will hold that for two years. Now, it doesn't mean that their establishment won't be inspected over two years. Just to be clear, there's a distinction between a permit that you have and your business," he stressed. 

 

Dr. Tufton said there will also be more options for paying of the fees. 

 

"In the past there were set locations, sometimes one or two in a parish which required travel. The amendments will include online payment, or I think before online payment, through one of the payment agencies whether it's Paymaster or the others, all the payment agencies, which means that it's going to be a lot more convenient for someone to go and pay and then go through the process, which many users of the service have been lobbying for," he noted.

 

About 300,000 people apply for food handlers permits each year. 

 

The changes were outlined Wednesday during the post-Cabinet news briefing.