Bermuda’s Youth Government agreed to support the implementation of a sugar tax during their third annual Bermuda Principles Youth Parliament debate.

The winning team of five students out of the ten that participated argued that the tax was a necessary way to encourage a healthy lifestyle among residents.

The debate, which took place during the Bermuda Principles Foundation Fund Conference on Saturday, added to the discussion of diabetes on the island.

A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Principles Foundation Fund said: “With an alarming estimated 13 per cent of Bermudians having diabetes and another 13 per cent estimated to be at risk for developing diabetes this Youth Government believes necessary measures must be taken to combat the Bermudian lifestyle.”

The Youth Parliament members who debated the motion are as follows:

Proposition: Giselle Concepcion, Cree Dunn, Robert Thomas, Vincent Darrell and Onuri Smith.

Opposition: McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett, Ywione Darrell, Yassine Chentouf, Imani Phillips and Christopher Jackson.

The event was judged by:

Minister of Health Hon. Kim Wilson JP MP

Shadow Minister of Health Hon. Patricia Gordon Pamplin JP MP

Tracey Harney, Biology Senior Lecturer at the Bermuda College

Gladstone Thompson, Dynamic Debaters Coach

Akilah Beckles, Debate Coach

More information on the Bermuda Principles Foundation Fund can be found on their website at www.bermudaprinciples.org.

Youth Parliament Bermuda can be e-mailed at YouthParliamentBda@gmail.com for more information.