HONIARA city council (HCC) has been urged to review and ensure that all eateries, cafe or kai-bars in town have toilets or rest rooms for public use.
A citizen John Regis raised the issue following concerns that it is becoming inconvenient for customers who need this service in public eateries.
Mr Regis said the council must consider this very important service otherwise they should not issue business license to operators.
“You will hardly find any cafe, eatery or Kai-Bar in town that has a toilet or rest room for customer use. It is disappointing when customers need comfort when nothing of such was provided in these eateries,” Regis said.
He called on HCC to take this into consideration and to ensure all eateries have such service for the public.
He said all eateries must have toilets because it is one of the most important services that have been overlooked for years.
Regis further call on town council’s environmental health division to inspect the eateries because about 95 percent of these service providers never consider providing clean, healthy and convenient eating environment.
“Go to any cafe, eatery or kai-bar and you will find dirt, flies and disgusting smell in these eateries. Cleanliness and healthy food is important for public health. No one would like to eat in a place full of flies, dirt and disgusting smell. Even worse still is it was hot and one can’t breathe good air inside,” Regis added.
He said council must step up and revisit its ordinances to ensure all these service providers meet stringent health and environmental regulations.
Council’s chief environmental health inspector when asked said the according to the public health act, those food providers categorised under restaurants are required to have rest rooms.
George Titiulu said the smaller ones do not have to have rest rooms but they have to ensure they provide safe and healthy food and environment for their service.
Titiulu added those smaller food providers do not necessarily have to have rest rooms but it is of paramount importance that they meet safe, hygienic, healthy and conducive environment in delivering their services to the public.
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
