A multi-disciplinary task team visited 13 business premises in Phoenix on 20 October as part of a business blitz operation. The task team consisted of officials from Environmental Health Services (EHS) North, Fire, Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW), Metro Police, Land-Use Management and Building Inspectorate.

Sholona Mahabeer, Senior Environmental Health Practitioner, said businesses are still non-compliant despite knowing the process to be followed. “Many of the businesses we visited have issues they need to resolve. Some do not have operating licences, others have health hazards, while a few are trading in unsavoury conditions.

The Fire Department issued two notices, CSW charged a business for improper waste disposal while EHS charged two businesses for dumping.  Metro Police also issued warnings to business owners while some owners were ordered to close their doors as they were warned previously.

Metro Police, Colonel Marcus Moodly, said: “We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to businesses that refuse to comply.  We will not hesitate to shut them down if they do not sort out their paperwork.”