The City Council is urging the public to desist from using barbering and other cosmetology services from vendors who operate along city streets as they may be putting their health at risk.
Last week City Constabulary ranks arrested one person engaged in barbering on the Council’s pavement, removed a number of make-shift tents and seized a quantity of barbering tools and manicure and pedicure equipment. Warnings were issued to persons engaged in these activities and the tools were lodged at the constabulary outpost at Stabroek.
Under the Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01, persons desirous of offering barbering and other cosmetic beauty related activities must be registered with the Mayor and City Council, City Hall said in a press release. These persons are also required to undergo a medical examination to determine that they are not suffering from any communicable disease and they are required to be properly attired.
Persons offering these services are also obligated to ensure that the tools and equipment they use to treat their clients are properly sterilised, in prescribed solutions.
“These requirements cannot be met by these outdoor barbers. Therefore, those who indulge in illegal barbering and hair dressing are putting at risk the health of all citizens,” the release added. In the light of this, the Council advises the public against purchasing these services from vendors who operate from benches and stools along the city streets and instead to procure them from registered persons.
The Council said it has noticed a reduction in these illegal services, even as it continues to clamp down on this practice in certain sections of the city. Illegal barbering can cause fly-away hair to get on food as this practice is often done in very close proximity to open air stalls and stands with fruits and vegetables. It can also cling to citizens clothing, affecting their personal wellbeing, the release added.
