BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, July 3, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) -- The weather system that ended up leaving the Federation drenched and flooded on Thursday June 29, and threatened the next two days, did not dampen spirits of scores of health-conscious walkers who turned up early morning on Saturday July 1 for the Peoples Labour Party/Prime Minister’s Health Walk that started at the St. Peter’s Community Centre in Constituency Number Eight.
The Monthly Health Walk, which is into its tenth year, started in 2007 as the Constituency Number Seven Health Walk and would always start at Belle Vue and end at Ottley’s Village all in Constituency Number Seven. It is the brainchild of Dr the Hon Timothy Harris who is the area Parliamentary Representative, and now Prime Minister and Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) one of the three parties in the ruling Team Unity Administration.
While the Health Walk originally targeted, and was patronised by, residents of Constituency Number Seven it has lately - especially starting this year - been gaining popular appeal expressed by health-conscious walk enthusiasts from other constituencies and has transcended Constituency Number Seven.
Walkers have been coming from all constituencies in St. Kitts, including Nevis, to take part in the walk which has since been re-branded the Peoples Labour Party/Prime Minister’s Health Walk.
Dr Harris, who also serves as CARICOM’s lead spokesperson on human resources, health and HIV matters, said that after reviewing the support for the Health Walk by people from other constituencies who would travel to Belle Vue every month to take part, the PLP National Executive decided to involve other areas, and the walk on Saturday July 1 was the first outside Constituency Number Seven.
“We have been aiming at attracting more people to come and to be part of this engagement which redounds to their own wellbeing and wellness, and we have been overwhelmed by the support we have been getting not only from my constituency, but from other constituencies as well,” observed Prime Minister Harris.
“The health of my people is of paramount importance to me and for this reason I wanted to welcome participants from other constituencies so that more people could get into the habit of keeping healthy. Our personal health is something that we can improve on by keeping active. This reduces the chances of getting non-communicable disease. I am therefore really encouraged by the number of people from other constituencies who took part.”
Excited walkers had started assembling outside the St. Peter’s Community Centre even before 5:00 am to take part in the walk that would take them through three constituencies and covering slightly over six miles. Welcoming them was the area’s Parliamentary Representative the Hon Eugene Hamilton, who is also the Minister of Agriculture, Health, National Health Insurance, Human Settlement, Community Development, Gender Affairs, Social Services, Cooperatives and Lands.
“I want to welcome those who are walking from my constituency this morning,” said Hon Hamilton in an interview conducted at 5:06 am outside the St. Peter’s Community Centre on Saturday July 1. “The distance I understand is about six miles, and I trust that each other is fit to make the six miles, and so I also want to ask God to give us His blessings on our way and that we will be safe that we will have a good time.”
The Hon Hamilton who walked all the way to the end, and even had enough energy to sprint to the finish point at the last roundabout in Frigate Bay added: “Perhaps this is going into something that the Prime Minister sees could be a regular monthly thing affecting all the constituencies that I believe that will be a good thing. We will see from what happens today.”
The walk, after an invocation by one of PLP’s prayer warriors Ms Sonia Henry, set off at exactly 5:30 am where the walkers proceeded along the Main Road to the Shadwell Roundabout, then south towards the CFBC, but made a detour and stopped at the Greenlands Pasture for the walkers to regroup. They then proceeded east along Cayon Street, and continued east along Pond Road and ended up at the last roundabout in Frigate Bay.
The first walkers who arrived at 7:05 am were Mr David Webster of Old Road, and Livingston Carey of Tabernacle. Prime Minister Harris arrived at 7:22 am with still a multitude of walkers behind him. Also taking part in the walk was Ambassador Michael Powell.
The PLP National Executive was represented by the Chairman Mr Warren Thompson, Deputy Political Leader Senator the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Secretary Ms Myrtilla Williams, Deputy Chairman Mr Craig Tuckett, Party Organiser Mr Alexis Nisbett, PLP Youth Arm Representatives Mr Manasses Huggins and Mr Damian Weekes, and PLP Women’s Arm Representative Ms Sonia Henry, all who finished in respectable times.
A cheerful Prime Minister even after the gruelling walk still had time to meet and greet, and even listen to the concerns of many persons who thronged to get his attention. He thanked the many walkers who joined him on the walk’s new route and promised that the PLP National Executive will make arrangements for future walks to cover other constituencies.
The Peoples Labour Party’s National Secretary Ms Myrtilla Williams said that the walk was indeed very successful even though the route was slightly longer than the Belle Vue to Ottley’s Village one. She thanked all the motorists driving along the walk route for respecting the walkers by giving them the right of way.
“Motorists put up with us in areas where there are no pedestrian walk ways, and exercised caution as the walkers would have at times been forced to encroach the road,” said Ms Williams. “For that I congratulate them for that kind spirit. I also take this opportunity to say thanks to the bus drivers who ferried some of the walkers coming from the various destinations to St. Peter’s Community Centre.”
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