PHILIPSBURG--The Inspectorate of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA conducted a total of 766 inspections during the first six months of this year – January to June.
The figures were provided by VSA Minister Emil Lee during the weekly Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday. Lee was responding at the time to a number of questions he had received earlier from The Daily Herald.
Lee said that while specific information on inspections is not usually provided, 323 of the inspections were routine inspections of mini-markets and supermarkets and 443 concerned food-related advices, complaints, investigations and auditing of food establishments, amongst other things.
A total of seven restaurants were closed during the inspection period. When the infractions were corrected, the closed establishments were given the green light to reopen.
Lee said that while the ministry is short-handed when it comes to inspectors, labour inspections are ongoing and a number of investigations are in progress.
