BASSETERRE ST. KITTS (June 14, 2009) -- Area parliamentary representative for St. Christopher Seven, covering Belle Vue to Ottleys, the Hon Dr Timothy Harris, is urging parents to introduce their children to healthy living and practicing healthy lifestyles as this would ensure a lifelong appreciation of healthy living.
Dr Harris, who is also the Federal Minister of Finance, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, was speaking on Saturday morning at Ottleys at the end of the monthly Constituency Number Seven Health Walk, where he lauded children from the Estridge Primary School who participated as an organised group for the first time.
“For the last two years we have been, on a regular basis, as a constituency been engaged in what we call the Constituency Number 7 Health Walk,” said Harris. “The objective of this is really to build awareness among the constituents about the need for healthy living and healthy lifestyle and to encourage exercise as a critical part of their regular routine.”
He informed that walk is important because many of the diseases which are so prevalent are in some ways as a result of lack of exercise and due to improper dieting which then contribute to illness among people. His message was on the importance of the two critical elements of proper diet and regular exercise.
“We are walking in the habit of exercising because of the challenges of obesity in the society and because of all the benefits that can be had from regular physical engagement,” observed the minister. “As a constituency we are providing leadership for the rest of the community by signaling that it is alright and we want that habit to be instilled in people from a very tender age because if you inculcate it today it continues with them for a lifetime.”
He said that the Tabernacle Primary School has been taking part in the monthly walks since early this year, while it was the first time on Saturday that the Estridge Primary School had participated as an organised group. He called on all the primary schools in the constituency to become part of the effort.
“Our job is to attempt to attract even more people to come and to be part of this engagement which we think will redound to their own wellbeing and wellness,” observed Dr Harris. “As the constituency representative I am glad to be engaged in it because I believe it is good for them to associate the leader of the constituency in these kinds of positive development because that can persuade and entice others to become a part.”
Over 125 persons of all ages participated in the walk which started at Belle Vue at 5:30 am and ended at Myrtle Wattley’s Baby Shop in Ottleys, where they were treated to succulent star apples, sandwiches and an assortment of juices. Before they set off, Arnold Julius offered prayers for safety of the walkers.
The first wave of finishers consisted the pupils from the Estridge Primary School, while the first adult finisher was Dion French a customs official from Saddlers. In the second wave of finishers were former cricket player Lenworth Harris and basketball player/official Crace Lewis, while Dr Harris was in the third wave of finishers.
Light moments marked the early morning exercise. A middle aged lady who was mostly at the rear of the walking group ended up at Ottleys along with the early finishers and when challenged how she made it, she admitted to having hitched a ride on a bus part of the way. When a slightly obese teenage boy was hailed as the last finisher, he vehemently denied it by saying: “I was second last.”
