JEDDAH — Proprietors of 15 restaurants have decided not to sue the municipality for defamation after their businesses were inspected and named and shamed for committing health safety violations even though they initially threatened to do so, Makkah daily reported on Wednesday. The restaurants said three months ago they would establish a cartel at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) prior to taking their complaint against the municipality to the Board of Grievances. They have now relented because they feared further reprisals from the local authority. However, member of the chamber's hospitality committee Essam Malaikah said 60 other restaurants were still intent on filing complaints against the municipality with the concerned government departments. He said the committee, which is in charge of restaurants and hotels, had listened to the restaurants' owners who said they were determined on filing defamation lawsuits against the municipality. “The number of dissatisfied restaurants increased with the municipality's continuous raids against them,” he added. Malaikah said while the committee supports the municipality's role in closely monitoring the eateries and shops, it believes that the naming and shaming of violating restaurants should only be made after repeated violations. “The punishment should be gradual, starting with a warning and going up to fines before reaching the level of naming and shaming,” he said. Malaikah said violations such as food poisoning should be punished by closing down the restaurant and withdrawing its license. “We noticed that the municipality's punishments were harsh so we spoke to it to be more lenient with violating restaurants, especially as their violations were small and mostly concerned a lack of cleanliness or using illegal workers,” he said. He said after checking the violations, the committee agreed with the municipality that some restaurants were providing food with expired ingredients. “We warned these restaurants and asked them to abide by the rules and regulations,” he added. Meanwhile, the municipality on Tuesday continued its raids against the restaurants, closing some of them in the affluent Al-Hamra District. Press reports said the municipality closed down 2,745 restaurants and cafes over the past four months after detecting 11 types of harmful bacteria on their premises. The municipality reported its samples revealed traces of the following germs: Escherichia coli found in the lower intestine; Enterobacteriaceae also found in the intestine; staphylococcus aureus found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin; digestive bacteria; listeria and fungus. The municipality said poisonous bacteria found in the intestine cause diarrhea, vertigo, vomit and fever and can be found in water, meat, dairy products, poultry, fruits and vegetables and any types of food exposed to human excrement. It usually incubates in the person's body for 12 to 72 hours. Staphylococcus aureus cause diarrhea, vertigo and vomit. These bacteria can be found in meat, dairy products, poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables and usually incubates in the person's body for 24 to 48 hours. Digestive bacteria cause diarrhea, vertigo and vomit and can be found in meat, eggs, herbal products and seasonings, beans and fruit juices. The germs usually incubate in the person's body for eight to 16 hours. Listeria can cause blood infections and meningitis. Pregnant women with the bacteria in their system are also at risk of suffering a miscarriage. The bacteria can be found in meat, cheese and salads and usually incubates in the person's body for 24 to 48 hours. Fungus can cause vertigo, stomach pain, diarrhea and nausea and can breed by storing food incorrectly or if the food has expired. It can be found in confectioneries, salads, pickles and juices and usually incubates in the person's body for 24 to 48 hours.
