Arts fest vendor scores new rule

Hawaiian Association members are crying foul over newly implemented regulations that would bar them from participating in the CNMI’s 25th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival. Their point of contention: A new rule requiring mandatory health exams for food handlers involved in the event.

Association members trooped to the Saipan Tribune yesterday morning complaining against “unfair” and “unjust” regulations set by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Environmental Health.

Frank H. Cepeda, a member of the organization, said that the changes made by the organizing committee were only announced to the prospective vendors last Friday during the Food Handler’s Workshop held at the Aging Office.

Cepeda said the new regulation requiring a health exam for all food handlers contradicted the one-page booth requirements list earlier given them by the organizing committee.

The list of the requirements for private operation business and non-profit organizations includes obtaining a “Valid health certificate for each individual assisting in the food booth. Otherwise, all who will be assisting in the booth that does not have valid health certificate must and should attend the food handler’s workshop…”

Cepeda, who has worked as a food handler during the past seven stagings of the festival, said the strict implementation of a health exam for all food handlers have already caused a number of vendors to pull out as of late Monday night, right after the meeting at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

Because of the new requirement each food handler will have to spend at least $105 just to assist in handling, according to Cepeda.

“Why try to reinforce the law now at a short notice?” asked the association’s members.

They said that, by the time the result of the new health exam requirement is released the cultural festival would have been finished. They said it takes days for a medical clinic to provide the results of physical health exams.

Cepeda said Environmental Health officer John Tagabuel told them last Monday that the health exam requirement has always been in effect for all food handlers on Saipan.

“Why then are schools, ROTC cadets, and other groups allowed to have fundraisers and sell food without health certificates? Are they exempt or is it just now that you want to enforce this law? What about those selling fish at the roadside? Do they have health certificates? Do all church bake sales and charities selling food need health certificates?” he asked.

The Saipan Tribune tried to contact Tagabuel for comments but he was not immediately available.

According to the group, the organizing committee had told them that they would get a refund of their $300 participation fee. “But when do we get that back?” asked Castro, adding that the association has already lost more than $300, considering that some of its members had to fly from Hawaii.

“It’s a shame that good people wanting to participate, following the same protocol set by previous Flame Tree Festivals, must pull out due to this change,” said Cepeda.

Group members also lamented that the DCCA did not even bother to mediate and help them.

Castro said DCCA Secretary Daisy Villagomez-Bier left the meeting when the discussion became heated.

Again, the Saipan Tribune tried to obtain comments from Villagomez-Bier but she was not available.

DCCA public information officer Catherine P. Anderson said the DCCA secretary is looking into the papers of the Hawaiian Association for clarification and verification with the Arts Council.