Keep fit like President Mahinda Rajapaksa and all problems can be
overcome- Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake
by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen – Kandy Sports Corr.
FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT: When you speak of fitness and regular exercise,
there is no better personality than the President Mahinda Rajapaksa,
who, despite his very busy schedule as the head of the nation, indulges
in exercise and constitutional walks, said the Chief Minister of the
Central Province Sarath Ekanayake.
He made these observations when he addressed the public and the award
winners of Physical Fitness program “Sports for Life” for Central
Province organised by the Ministry of Sports of the Central Province and
Sports Medicine Unit of the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital headed by Dr.
Asela Ratnayake and Anuja Mallawarachchi of the University of Peradeniya,
held at Royal Mall, Kandy.
Nearly 200 competitors from various age groups upto 70 years
participated in this program spread over a period of time. Gold and
Super Gold awards were awarded to the best performers.
Speaking further, Chief Minister, Sarath Ekanayake said that the
Mahinda Chinthanaya program put out by the President envisages on a
healthy nation and the people who make the nation must be in good health
to carry out their tasks. The President has targeted to make Sri Lanka
model country in Asia and to achieve this, Sri Lanka must have a healthy
nation. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has led the country from the front
and he is an epitome of fitness and we must follow his example, the
Chief Minister said.
He said there is no use in saying that you do not have time or the
place for you to indulge in physical exercise. When sickness comes to
you for lack of exercise, it will not take this as an excuse. It will
strike one hand and with all the might. There will be no resistance by
your body. It could be a stroke or that silent killer diabetes. It is of
paramount importance that you must burn your excess calories and there
is no escape from it.
Gym work good
He said it is good if one can go to the gymnasium and that is if you
could afford as you will be under the supervision of a trained official
who will guide you and tell you how to indulge in exercise, using the
available equipment.
If you cannot afford this or do not have the time, a brisk walk and
jogging will help you to burn the excess calories.
Can anyone come out with the excuse that they do not have the time to
walk, except if they are invalids on wheel chairs and crutches?
He further said that when one meets a person on the road or in the
house, by natural instinct, we inquire, how are you? The spontaneous
reply is. “I am alright and in good health.” When uttering these words,
we could as somehow truthful we are. Though they may say that they are
in good health, but inside them they will be suffering from many
ailments and some of them may be critical illnesses.
We have a Sports Medicine unit in Kandy and very few people make use
of it and some of them go there only when they are in difficulty.
Our aim is to make the Central Province the Best Province in the
Country by 2015 and in many matters, we are ahead of other provinces,
Chief Minister Ekanayake said.
Diabetes erodes life
He said that at present diabetes is eroding our lives and even
children are afflicted by it. We must get over this serious problem, it
is our task in building a healthy nation, he concluded.
Minister of Sports of the Central Province Mrs. Anusha Sivaraja said
that it is the second year they have conducted this program ‘Medarata
Shakthi’ or ‘Sports for Life’ which is gaining popularity.
Central Province is the only province to conduct such a program.
More people should participate in this competition which is open to
people of all ages, men and women and people from all walks of life.
There is no restriction. Physical Exercises are needed to sustain a
healthy life and the money one spends on medicine and the time will be
saved only if one takes the necessary actions to which Mrs. Sivaraja
said she would like to add the good old adage “Prevention is better than
cure”. Dr. Asela Ratnayake also spoke. |
