By Annelia Nixon

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Less than ten food-related businesses have been shut down for health and sanitary infractions so far in 2025, the sector’s regulator revealed yesterday, although one well-publicised closure has been allowed to re-open.

Dr Patricia Johnson, head of the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority’s (BAHFSA) food safety and quality unit, confirmed that New Golden Treasure restaurant has been permitted to re-open after addressing the issues that resulted in it being ordered to shut down operations in September.

Dr Johnson declined to disclose why that restaurant was closed, but said: “We have a very strong team, a very good team that would have closed that business and improvement notices were given along. And that business did meet the requirements to open their doors again. And so we work very closely with business owners.

“Sometimes, if you don't know, you don't know. But what we're there to do is to help educate these food businesses and these owners so that they can have all of the right processes in place to avoid closure.

“But what we found is persons have done what they need to do to get their businesses up and running, and that's what we want to repeat across the length and breadth of The Bahamas. Not just here, but also on our Family Islands,” she added.

“We want our consumers to be assured and have the confidence that these businesses are doing what they need to do to make sure that when they eat, they're not going to have a foodborne illness or something even worse happen to them.”

Unable to provide an exact figure, Dr Johnson said less than ten businesses have been ordered to close this year as a result of health and sanitary violations, while between 30 and 50 have been inspected. BAHFSA is planning to further crack down on breaches in 2026 by ensuring businesses have registered with it to further promote the safe handling of food for consumers. 

In particular, the Food Safety & Quality Unit will continue its obligation to look “extensively at the food chain from the farm to the fork”. In 2026, it will focus in on its pursuit of business registration. Noting that there are anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 food businesses to tackle, Dr Johnson said registration is a slow process.

However, she added that the Unit may hold a registration drive. Once registration is completed, the business would be entered into BAHFSA’s system and officials can then conduct inspections at that premises.

Dr Johnson confirmed that under the Food Safety and Quality Act, in order to obtain a Business Licence, a food vendor must register with BAHFSA. She added that the Act also allows BAHFSA’s chairperson to designate a public officer to work as a food inspector on its behalf, and they hope to increase the number of designated officers.

To register, businesses must access the BAHFSA e-inspection portal, complete an application form, launch of inspection request and upload any required documents such as pest and waste management contracts, plus photos and food handler certificates for staff members. Once that is completed, a fee must be paid before signing a declaration and submitting the request. Within 48 hours, an inspector should verify all information has been uploaded and an inspection date will be set. 

“And a lot of persons have called us and have come in, and we can walk you through that process and you can do that over the phone,” Dr Johnson added. “You can register on your phone, on your laptop, on your computer, or you're free to walk into our office, and we've had persons come in and register with us.

“We try to make it seamless. The annual fee is $50 and everything is done online. They receive their registration certificate once they submit everything to us, like the food handler certificate or the pest control contract or waste management contract.

“And if everything is found to be in order, they get the registration certificate immediately. What they have to then wait for is the inspection, and that's on a first come, first served basis.”

The Food Safety & Quality Unit, which handles the hygienic processes and procedures in food establishments, is hoping to partner with other agencies such as the Department of Environmental Health Services, the Consumer Protection Commission and Consumer Affairs.

In the meantime, pamphlets are being circulated so businesses can avoid failing inspection or receiving improvement notices which can last for varying times depending on the nature of the improvement notice. 

“What we tend to do, if it's not a severe case, we give them improvement notices,” Dr Johnson said. “So the inspection isn't an outright closure, but we may have to give you an improvement notice, and that helps you better, where you have to just make a corrective action here or corrective action there, and then you're back in business.

“But for those that have extenuating circumstances, we have to, out of an abundance of caution for the public, sometimes we have to close those facilities, and so we have a very great team that goes out really and does an excellent job.”

Dr Johnson noted three types of inspections: Complaints, annual and routine. With many food vendors, including those who operate on the roadsides, increasing in number, Dr Johnson is encouraging those businesses to register and consumers to be vigilant in where they choose to dine. 

“What I would say to the public is that everyone has to be vigilant,” Dr Johnson added. “You as a consumer are very powerful. You get to decide who you eat from, and if the surroundings are suspicious, you don't eat there.

“If you have any vendor or any storekeeper that doesn't have any food safety, hygiene practices, you can say, 'Hey, I'm not going to eat from that place.' So really, the consumer is really the one with the power here, and they will determine just how far we get as a regulator.”