KINGSTON, Jamaica--Some school administrators and vendors have welcomed the Government’s plan to restrict sugary drinks in the diets of students as part of efforts to tackle the country’s increasing rate of obesity.
“If it haffi cut mi cost and earnings, mi a go do that to promote healthy lifestyle,” Merrick Muir, who has been selling outside Denham Town Primary and High School for more than 20 years, told the Jamaica Observer as he attended to students on Wednesday.
Muir, who sells a variety of snacks, said customers are now purchasing water and beverages with less sugar content.
“The manufacturers are actually going less sugar as well,” Muir said, adding that he sells more water and flavoured water than other beverages.
“If the day nuh start with water, mi can no bother,” Muir added.
Last week Tuesday, Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton announced in Parliament that in January 2019 sugary drinks will be restricted as part of the response to the obesity crisis in the school system.
Tufton said the measure also applies to patients in the public health system and told Parliament that his ministry, as well as the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, would be working with the manufacturers and distributors of sugary drinks to provide the policy guidelines on what the requirements are for the products to be permitted for use.
Another vendor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “If the drinks a mek and a less sugar, mi nuh have nuh problem with it, ‘cause the sweetness no good. Dem can cut out the sugar thing.”
However, the vendor expressed concern about how the restriction would be effectively controlled.
“If dem nuh drink it here, dem a go drink it at home and elsewhere. Some of them parents buy it and put it in their house. Even parents come here and buy for their children,” the vendor argued.
Pearl McLean, who has been vending at Balcombe Drive Primary and Junior High School for over 20 years, welcomed the initiative but suggested that it should be extended beyond sugary drinks.
“If dem a go cut sugar in juices, they should cut out sugar in sweeties. It nuh make no sense dem have less or no sugar in juices and sweet still in other things like biscuits,” McLean reasoned.
Inside the school’s canteen, senior teacher Yvette Foster said Wednesdays are observed as water day.
“I think last year or two years ago we cut from the bag juice and started selling fruit juice, and then we stopped with the soda,” said McLean, who is also responsible for overseeing the canteen.
Other school officials who were on the compound expressed concerns about the “nutri” products supplied to the school by the government.
Similar concerns were expressed by vendor Norma Peters at Pembroke Hall Primary School.
“Them say them a cut out bag juice, but them sending nutri things. Them nah practise what them preaching. Bun, rock cake, muffin, all a that a sugar. Them cut out milk ... Last September we couldn’t sell bag juice but them sending bag juice. I hope when them implement it them stop send bag juice,” said Peters, who has been vending outside the school for over 20 years.
However, Peters said the initiative will not affect her business.
“Mi sell more bag water more than juice, worse if mi have ice in it. Mi sell other stuff too – books, sharpener, toys, other stuff,” Peters added.
Meanwhile, Duhaney Park Primary School Vice-Principal Collin Chambers told the Observer that he is in agreement with the restriction because sugary drinks are harmful when consumed in excess.
However, he said the type of sugary drinks that are consumed by students should be analysed to determine the sugar content in each beverage before the drink is restricted.
Chambers said prior to the announcement the school had always tried to discourage students from consuming sugary beverages.
The vendors who sell a variety of snacks and toys along the school’s perimeter fence said they, too, are in agreement with the initiative. ~ Jamaica Observer ~
