Exclusive clinics will be held in July for food handlers participating in this year’s festival activities.

Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mrs. Yolanda Penn said all food handlers seeking certification for this year’s festival must have medical tests completed. She added that persons who obtained a temporary permit last year from the division will be exempt from the medical testing if their information is found in the system.  

Two sessions per day will be held on July 4, 11, 18, and 25 while one session will be held on July 6, 13, 20 and 27. The morning sessions will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. at the Quatisky Building.

Persons renewing their food handler’s certificates are required to present their expired certificates, social security card, work permit and/or picture identification.

Persons seeking to obtain a food handler’s certificate for the first time are required to present the result of their Mantoux (skin) and stool tests, work permit and/or picture identification, social security card and one recent passport size photograph.

Mrs. Penn said visitors to the island who are in possession of current food handler certification are invited to attend a session. She said visitors who do not have any certification but who are desirous on working during the festival time must have documentation from the Immigration Department verifying work status.

Regular Thursday morning food handlers’ sessions will continue as usual at the Quastisky Building.

For further information, please contact the Environmental Health Division at telephone number 468-5110.

The Environmental Health Division is committed to ensuring that all aspects of the environment with the potential to negatively impact health are managed efficiently to enable all persons in the BVI to attain and maintain optimal health and social well-being.