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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, August 31, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — The latest edition of Prime Minister’s Monthly Health Walk, which was held on Saturday August 29 and attracted a large turnout, was a national effort according to Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris.

“Today we had a successful, large turnout and we are very happy to see that our first event after the period of lockdown has been as successful as it was,” said Dr Harris who walked the entire Bellevue to Ottley’s route. “It really was a national effort – we had presentation from all regions of St. Kitts.”

The health walks, initially known as Dr Harris Constituency Number Seven Health Walk, have since 2017 been rebranded as the Prime Minister’s Health Walk. Unlike in 2007 when they first started and used to mainly attract persons from the constituency, they today attract participants from around St. Kitts and occasionally from Nevis as well.

Taking part in the Saturday August 29 Prime Minister’s Health Walk included the Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan, His Excellency Tom and Mrs Lee, and embassy staffer Ms Grace Wang. On the local scene ambassadors His Excellency Kevin Williams, and His Excellency Ian Patches Liburd took part.

Also from outside Constituency Number Seven included the Minister of Health the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, and Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Dr Bernicia Nisbett.

There were representatives from all the constituencies on St. Kitts, but Mr Glenville Mills, who is the Chairman of PLP Constituency Number Five Executive Branch, brought a large contingent from the Sandy Point area. It included Vice Chairperson Ms Marsha Lewis, and Women’s Arm Representative Ms Janice Lewis.

A first time participant in the Prime Minister’s Health Walk, Ms Sheryll Reid from the New Taylors Housing Development in Constituency Number One said that the walk was quite invigorating and that she liked the idea of it, which is to keep people fit.

“As you know we have joined the Caribbean Moves and we now have SKN Moves, and so in keeping with that I think it is a good idea for the Prime Minister to have this monthly health walk,” said Ms Reid. “I find that it was well attended this morning – very, very much well attended and the people are excited so that we would be back again for another Health Walk. We are looking forward to that.”

Ms Verna Lewis from Cayon in Constituency Number Eight pointed out that she would have taken part in the Prime Minister’s Health Walks on numerous occasions. She noted: “This morning, it was really refreshing. It was long, but being somebody who is always exercising, I enjoyed it very much.”

According to Ms Lewis, the Prime Minister’s Health Walk gives people a lot of health benefits and she noted that at the end of the walk, participants were served fruits which she noted was a very healthy way of feeding the walkers. She termed it a good idea and while saying she will be back, she challenged others to follow suit and take part when the dates for the next health walk are advertised.

“So to have a wide cross-section as we have had, people of all walks of life, people from all regions, to me it was very encouraging this morning, including the representatives of the Spanish community, because our message ‘health wellness’ must in fact resonate through all alleyways and byways of St. Kitts and Nevis,” observed Prime Minister Harris.

ENDS