BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, November 28, 2022 (MMS-SKN) — The 11th annual St. Kitts Run and Family Walk held on Saturday November 26 was patronised by one of the largest participation in recent times, and Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis the Hon Dr Terrance Drew who was one of the participants is thanking the organisers, sponsors and participants for supporting the country’s youth.
Dubbed ‘2K Walk and 5K Run’ and held at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club in Frigate Bay, it was a welcome event for the participants after a two-year hiatus occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is held for the support of the West Basseterre-based St. Christopher Children’s Home.
“I want to say that the initiative to have persons walk/run for the support of our youths here in St. Kitts and Nevis must be an admirable gesture,” said Prime Minister Drew. “I want to encourage the organisers and even those who participated to show their support and to continue to do what they are doing, for more efforts like these in the communities are needed because the government cannot do it alone – it always needs the people to participate actively and this is one such activity.”
Also taking part in the St. Kitts Run and Family Walk was the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Geoffrey Hanley, who flagged off the event. Others included Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities et al the Hon Konris Maynard, Junior Minister in the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs et al, the Hon Isalean Phillip, and Cabinet Secretary Dr Marcus L. Natta.
Event coordinator was Vice Chairperson of the St. Christopher Children’s Home Board Ms Naeemah Hazelle, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, who introduced Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Dr Geoffrey Hanley to the event’s participants.
“I am very excited to be back on the walk, having taken a break because of Covid and we are back out and at the same time I want to commend the Board for their hard work that they have been doing for the Children’s Home – let us give them a round of applause,” said the Hon Dr Hanley who is also the Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher One (East Basseterre).
The Hon Dr Hanley observed that the government and the people in the Federation know that members of the St. Christopher Children’s Home Board have tried their best in aid of the country’s children who are less fortunate and not able to lead the life of everyone.
“So as we walk this afternoon, let us enjoy the walk and do not forget the raffle, it is not money wasted, it is money well invested,” reminded the Deputy Prime Minister who threatened to be the winner. However while he finished the walk, at the end of the event he presented awards and trophies to other participants.
The role played by the St. Christopher Children’s Home in nurturing the lives of the less fortunate children in society was amplified by the Member of Parliament for St. Christopher Three (West Basseterre) the Hon Konris Maynard, who said that he went to school with some of the persons who lived at the home and who are now doing extraordinarily well for themselves.
The Hon Maynard, who is also the Federal Minister of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities et al said that it is always his pleasure to support the St. Christopher Children’s Home, especially because it is in the constituency of West Basseterre, in the southern side of Trafalgar, as he is the Area Parliamentary Representative.
“This is always a noble cause,” said the Hon Maynard. “We take for granted sometimes that it is not everyone who has a home that they can grow up in with a family that can care for them and so an institution like this is absolutely critical to the survival of some among us,”
He added: “I want to give high credit to those who continue to ensure that the home exists and that we are able to do activities like these, the 5K Run and the 2K Walk, to support the initiatives of the home. I know it will go a long way in promoting a healthy and a meaningful contributor to our society when the children grow up.”
ENDS
