Better Health - The Skye is the Limit

Skye Hernandez, a freelance media practitioner also hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, had a rewarding experience at the just concluded Healthy Caribbean 2008 conference.

Despite the fact that she didn't fit the profile of what she considered to be the typical delegate, not being a health practitioner and all, her presence was critical as the organizers will be leaning heavily on the media going forward to get their messages across to the Caribbean, even throughout the entire civil society.

In talking with her it was clear that she successfully maximized the all-important networking opportunities and listening to her it was obvious that those who could not, or chose not, to attend missed out big time.

It was very well organized and there was a wealth of information. I'm not in the field but I work with Caribbean Wellness Day to promote to the media to get their support.

I learned a lot and I'd say the logistics were very well worked out. The people involved in getting the information we needed were very good, as was the networking. I met a lot of good, passionate people."

Her pen, in the eyes of the champions of this movement for a healthy Caribbean, is indeed mightier than the sword, and she can be counted on to wield it aid their cause.

"The next time I have to do anything with health I believe I will get a better response because they'll know who they are talking to.


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When Dawn Williams, communications officer with the Bloomberg Global Initiative of the Jamaica Heart Foundation, stepped out of today's general session, her enthusiasm was very apparent.

It was more than after glow of national pride from the success of the Jamaican team at the 2008 Summer Olympics; she was beaming at the prospects of leveraging the knowledge she had gained during these pass couple of days back home in Jamaica.

A major achievement I am excited about is the target to have a regional coalition of civil society among their NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to really make a different through education and mobilization of citizens in their communities toward the reduction of CNCDs (Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases) and also lobbying governments, including my own, to either ratify the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) so that more Caribbean citizens can know how dangerous tobacco is. It's not just the lung cancer but it contributes significantly to whether people smoke or not."

Dawn was also very conscious of the need for this information to filter down from the white paper stage to the bite size chunks that the youth especially could digest. In Jamaica, they have a swift advantage in Usain Bolt, to show the youth that being healthy and successful takes time and effort.

"We use Bolt and others in Jamaica to show that it takes thorough years of preparation." Also by using edutainment and images of both sick and healthy people she hopes to convince the youth that their responsibility to themselves and future generations begins with how they value their health today.

"Some people believe that if they start smoking today it's no big deal that 'everybody has to die anyway' but the effects don't come until some 20 years later, often when you are starting a young family."

Article & Photos by Christal P. McIntosh, Healthy Caribbean 2008 Media Correspondent for PRMR Inc.

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CMO Of Barbados On the Healthy Caribbean Conference

Dr. Joy St. John, Chief Medical Officer of Barbados speaking today at the Healthy Caribbean Conference at the Accra Beach Hotel & Resort said that she is very excited by what was taking place.  

She said that she was especially looking forward to the Civil Society Declaration because as much as the Ministry and the Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission are doing they still need partnerships. 

 "One of the first things that the CNCD Commission did was to compile a comprehensive list of NGOs involved in any area of health.  This conference is wonderful because it helps these entities to have a strategic direction in the same way that we do. "

She said that the Strategic Plan was based on partnerships and alliances and that the Ministry would like to have service level agreements like the one presently existing with the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados with all other NGOs.  

Dr. St. John said that the Conference workshops were a good foundation and would be an excellent spring broad for these types of constructive relationships.