The inaugural high school debates, organized by the St Ann police are in the first stage, with two matches completed last week. The debates were launched last week Monday, May 19 with a function at which leading police personnel spoke about the competition, pointing to its theme “Partnership through dialogue”. Among the speakers were” head of Area 2, ACP Ealan Powell and head of St Ann police, SSP Yvonne Martin-Daley. Also speaking were Cpl Tanecia Johnson, coordinator of the police community safety programme and Cpl Natalee Williams, debate coordinator. Other senior police officers participated in the competition, including SSP Patricia Coulbourne- White, who served as a guest judge on a panel chaired by Franklin McKnight. Others on the panel of adjudicators are: James Walsh, Christine Badal-McBean and Shanna McLeary-Orr. Following the official launch, Aabuthnott Gallimore and St Ann’s Bay high schools faced off on the moot “The powers granted to INDECOM have negatively affected police performance and morale.” St Ann’s Bay High emerged winners. The second match pitted York Castle High against Ocho Rios High on the moot “the failure of young people to achieve their potential is as a direct result of poor parenting.” Ocho Rios High emerged winners of the match staged at the St Ann Chamber, Ocho Rios. Joining the panel of adjudicators was Oral Heaven, Chamber president. The second week of competition, to complete stage one will see Ferncourt High School up against Brown’s Town High, on Tuesday at Hibiscus Lodge, Ocho Rios on Tuesday, May 27, and Marcus Garvey will face off against St Hilda’s on Thursday, May 29 at Shaw Park Beach Resort, also in Ocho Rios.
