Fitness, Food, and Flora; Health and Well-Being in Jamaica

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

The email came in from our partners at Finn Marshall, and Trish called me into the office. “Looks like we have a trip to take.” “Oh really!” I said. “Where are we heading to this time?” “Well, you are heading to Jamaica again.” Hmmm, I thought as I walked back to the office. What was in store for me this time? It was only at the end of the trip was I able to truly give a name to what I experienced, and of course, I am going to share this experience with you Toronto. Over the next few editions, I am going to present to you a different experience than the one that I brought you last time. I would like to introduce to you Fitness, Food, and Flora; Health and Well-being in Jamaica.

I am going to start from the end of the trip and work my way backward. It was about 5:00 am, and I was joined by Pat Montague, Leona Minto, Shaun Walsh, Lyndon Taylor, and Chris Collie, members of media hailing from Florida and New York. Leona (who I had met on the last trip), and Pat Montague were actually participating in the event, so as a group we made our way down Jimmy Cliff Boulevard into Old Hospital Park where even at 5:30 am, the park was buzzing with energy.

We all were there for the MoBay City Run, a 10K/5K Run and Walk that was established as a transformational activity for education in Western Jamaica. The main objective of this walk is to raise funds to support university students who are striving to attain their tertiary level education. For those who do not know, tertiary education is equivalent to University or College here in Canada. It most definitely takes a lot of planning to pull off a fun and healthy family event that not only is great for the community but also has helped to transform the lives of so many young people in Jamaica.

Who is the person responsible for one of the biggest road races in the country? It is time to introduce the award-winning journalist turned philanthropist Janet Therese Silvera. Janet has undoubtedly made an undeniable contribution to Jamaica’s tourist industry in the last thirty years. Honing her skills as a journalist for the infamous paper The Gleaner, Janet decided she would focus her attention on tourism and ways that she could benefit communities in Jamaica. Like many success stories, Janet has never been satisfied with mediocrity; she became a certified event manager and president of the Western Jamaica Media Association, 1^st Vice President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a former director of the Press Association of Jamaica and has served as a director of the Kiwanis Club of Providence.

She was named the Press Association of Jamaica ‘News Journalist of the Year’ 2009, for the thought-provoking piece ‘Dad Raped Us’ and again in 2014 for her investigative pieces on the ‘Mario Deane’ death. In 2006 she was the American Express/Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) awardee for Excellence in Tourism Reporting. As a philanthropist, her most important achievement to date has been the creation of the MoBay City Run, which was founded in 2014. This annual event has donated over 15 million dollars to students in the last four years.

Tertiary education is provided through five universities, and a variety of community and teachers colleges. Universities include the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, The University of Technology, the College of Art, Science and Technology, the North Caribbean University, and the University College of the Caribbean. The Caribbean still has the lowest level of its population having access to tertiary education in the Western Hemisphere. Only about 19% of Jamaicans aged 19-24 are currently enrolled in tertiary education, and only 15% of the workforce has a tertiary education (2018 Report).

It takes a village, and Janet quickly assembled people and organizations that could assist in helping these students. Her first partnership was with the UWI Western Jamaica Campus, and she admits that they have been a tremendous source of support. She has recently garnered support from Courts Jamaica Limited, which has funded scholarships and education grants for tertiary-level students to the tune of 19.5 million dollars over the past five years.

I was surprised to see people of all ages, genders, and nationalities at this event. The total number of runners this year was at 3,084, and everyone was in good spirits. They started with an upbeat warm up, and then everyone made their way to the starting line. The 10K runners were the first to start, then the 5K runners, and then the 5K walkers. This year’s winners are as follows:

5K Run

Garfield Gordon 15:15:92

Kelly-Ann Beckford 18:55:04

5K Walk

Duwell Allen 24:45:28

Patricia Young 31:02:45

10K Run

Oshane Archibald 33:10:34

Shanise Gordon 44:03:92

Runners representing GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport swept the races this year. GC Foster College continues to contribute to social and economic development through physical education and represented at the MoBay City Run. Janet and her team have done a wonderful job.

It has taken a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but when you see the proud faces of people who complete the race, it must be all worth it. We have just started our weekend adventure; be sure to check out our Women Empowered section, and stay tuned for more from our Fitness, Food, and Flora; Health and Well-being in Jamaica media trip.