he Health Department has yet to release an official report into the food poisoning of six primary school children.
It has been three weeks since the incident took place.
This is very surprising, specifically since the Health Department held a major press conference on the matter, where officials stated that a serious enquiry would be made into the incident.
On May 31, six school children were poisoned with organophosphate.
Parents have complained that officials from the Health Department have yet to disclose any information on the poisoning of their children.
The Health Department has also not reported on the likely action to be taken against the caterer involved in the preparation of a meal that consisted of chicken meat.
Contacted by this newspaper one week after the press briefing, Coordinator of the Food Safety and Environmental Health Department Carlton Frank, confirmed the children had ingested organophosphate pesticide from the chicken.
His assessment was in conformity with statements made by the doctors at the Joseph France Hospital where the children were admitted.
The pesticide is used by farmers to treat agricultural crops.
This newspaper has since confirmed that an official toxicology report with the findings of the tests has been submitted to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Martin by the Multipurpose Laboratory, where samples of the chicken were sent for analysis.
Frank had reported that the caterer, who was apparently contracted by organisers of the school drama festival to prepare the meal, stands the chance of having her food handler’s permit revoked for operating without a valid licence and further, faces prosecution for the incident.
Asked what action would be taken by his Department against the caterer for operating with an expired license, Frank said her licence would be revoked all together and added, that if found guilty for handling the chemical, she would face the law.
However, Commissioner of Police Robert Jeffers said his department has not received any report on the matter and therefore could not comment on it.
“We do not want to speculate, but the big problem is, we believe that she is a farmer and if it is proven that she handles this kind of toxic chemical and is indeed a farmer, then her licence would be revoked and she would be prosecuted,” Frank said.
A preliminary test carried out on the children at the time of admittance to hospital had suggested that the chicken was contaminated with the poison.
It was ascertained that the children, aged between two and sixteen had all eaten chicken from the caterer.
The children were diagnosed with various stages of dehydration due to excessive vomiting. The clinical signs were contracted pupils, weakness and excessive secretions from the eyes and mouth.
While five of the six children were treated and released the same day, the two-year old child was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to the lost fluid in his lungs.
The students were administered with high doses of atropine, the antidote for organophosphate poison found in several pesticides.
