The second staging of the Area Two police debate competition was launched at the divisional headquarters in Tower Isle, St Mary on Wednesday, January 18.
The competition was launched under the theme “Enhancing collaboration through meaningful discussion.”
The competition will see the three wining schools from Portland, St Ann and St Mary going up against each other to win the coveted Area Two champion trophy. Titchfield High School from Portland, St Mary High School from St Mary and Brown’s Town High School from St Ann won their respective parish finals.
The competition is expected to get underway on Tuesday, January 24 with Titchfield High going up against Brown’s Town High School.
Corporal Natalee Williams, who gave the competition overview, explained that the competition served its purpose of facilitating learning among the students.
Williams highlighted the fact that The Moneague College in St Ann will be providing three scholarships to three students involved in the competition. In addition, she said that $100,000 in cash prices will be distributed among the schools involved in the competition. The champion school will walk away with $50,000.
Organic Heart is the main sponsor of the debate competition.
Acting principal of The Moneague College, Jacqueline Thames commended the police for staging the competition, in which she said she had every confidence. “I want to commend them (the police) for taking such a worthwhile initiative,” she said.
In borrowing Nelson Mandela’s quote, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” Thames said that was the goal of The Moneague College as they strived to change the world. She said the college was happy to be a sponsor of the competition.
Head of the Area Two police, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Fitz Bailey, who was the guest speaker at the function, said that the person that conceptualized the competition must be commended. “I believe that the person who conceptualized this debate competition must be commended as it provides is an opportunity to students to discuss issues, to hear view points of others and to understand that there is an alternative view as well and that their view is not supreme to any person’s view,” he said.
ACP Bailey further stated that the competition also helped to enhance team work and would go a far way in helping students to resolve conflicts. He also praised the competition helping to build team work among students and creating a culture of reading.
Chief Judge of the Area Two debate competition, Franklin McKnight reaffirmed the judges’ commitment and pleasure in serving as adjudicators of the debates.
Greetings also came from Superintendent Dudley Scott, officer in charge of administration for Area Two and the vote of thanks was given by deputy superintendent Lorraine Elleston of the Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB) in St Mary.
