Published 17 September 2019
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Deputy Prime Minister Richards: Ministry of Education supports SKN Moves initiatives
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, September 17, 2019 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Federal Ministry of Education is committed to educate young persons in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis on the importance of practising healthy lifestyles while they are still young with a view that they will take the practice with them throughout the rest of their life.
The remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon Shawn Richards on Saturday September 14 at the end of a wellness walk organised by the Ministry of Health and SKN Moves in collaboration with the Independence Committee in celebration of Caribbean Wellness Day.
“This walk today is a significant one,” said the Hon Richards. “It is a walk which was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and SKN Moves. It is basically to bring awareness to all of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis that some form of exercise is important.”
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the particular walk in which he, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, and Minister of Health the Hon Wendy Phipps took part, was also an opportunity for the Ministry of Health to send a message to all the persons in terms of how they can become more healthy, and how to combat some of the chronic diseases that are being faced in the Federation.
“As such the Ministry of Education is happy to support this initiative and we will continue to get more persons involved in it, not just involved but actually putting into practise what is being preached about healthy living, exercising – whether it is walking, or running – and eating healthy etc.” remarked the Hon Richards.
Also taking part in the walk, which was held under the theme ‘Healthy Aging Starts Now’, included Permanent Secretaries Mr William Vincent Hodge of the Ministry of Education, and Mrs Deloris Stapleton-Harris of the Ministry of Health. The event started at the War Memorial in Fortlands, and took the participants along Bay Road, to the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in Bird Rock, and back.
At the end of the walk, which was characterised by downpours as the participants walked the route, Dr Marissa Carty who is the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Programme Coordinator in the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit at the Ministry of Health told the participants that activities to mark the Caribbean Wellness week would include a National Fruit and Vegetable Day on Tuesday September 17.
“Food and Nutrition Programme from the Ministry of Health will be hosting a food fair and food competition at the Circus in front of Royal Bank and First Caribbean Bank on Tuesday September 17,” said Dr Carty. “We are asking you to come out and just show your support. On Friday the 20th of September it is the National Sneaker Day, and we are encouraging everyone to wear their sneakers on that day in support of physical activity, and SKN Moves.”
Dr Carty also announced that on the same day Friday September 20, starting from 1:30 pm to about 3:00 pm, the Ministry of Health collaborating with the Ministry of Education will be hosting Fitness Assistance for some of Physical Education (PE) classes for high school students at Netball City to get them involved in the SKN Moves initiative.
