On December 1st 2022 the re-introduced inter-secondary schools debating competition was officially launched.
High school competitive debating was once organized by the Kiwanis Club of Roseau but after several years of absence, a new competition organized along similar lines will take center stage.
The initiative is spear-headed by Trudy Christian, long- time advisor of the Dominica State College’s Literary and Debating Society. A topic-writing committee, logistics committee, promotions committee and a group of debate officials (whose training has been facilitated by Dr. Kimone Joseph) have also been engaged.
At the launch, Miss Christian announced that thirteen secondary schools across the island would be participating in the competition.
Some of the goals of the competition were highlighted as being to provide an opportunity for young people to gain public speaking experience and to re-introduce the culture of organized debating among the youth.
Miss Christian quoted Nelson Mandela in her opening remarks as saying “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger.”
During the ceremony held at the Dominica State College, the representatives from the various high schools who were present dipped for their topics for the first round of competition and which school they would face.
The competition will be hosted from January to April 2023 and there will be 4 rounds of competition.
“The winners of each round move forward to the next round until in the last round, to be held in April, there will only be two schools left standing. In the first round, to be held in the second week of January 2023, the Convent High School will challenge the Portsmouth Secondary School; the Community High School goes up against the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School; the St. Martin Secondary School faces the Castle Bruce Secondary School; the Arthur Waldron SDA squares off against the St. Mary’s Academy; the Goodwill Secondary School challenges the Orion Academy; the Dominica Grammar School debates the North East Comprehensive Secondary School,” Christian stated.
The Wesley High School gets a bye to the second round of competition as their competitor which was dipped, the St. John’s Academy, withdrew from the competition right before the launch.
Miss Christian revealed that the competition had already received some support from the private sector, with New India Assurance and A.C Shillingford (Promex Milk) coming on board as major sponsors. DOWASCO, the National Cooperative Credit Union, U.W.I Open Campus, Flow Dominica and the National Bank of Dominica have also pledged some support.
The Ministry of Education has agreed to partner with the endeavor as well. There is still lots of room for more sponsorship and Miss Christian indicated that it was her fervent hope that more private citizens and corporate entities will come forward to assist with the venture. The grand prize for the winners of the competition was announced as an all-expense paid trip for 4 to St. Lucia.
The members of the DSC Literary and Debating Society will be the major facilitators of the debating competition, serving in various roles such as time keepers and ushers. President of the club, Mr. Ajani Shillingford, thanked everyone in attendance at the launch for their involvement thus far and urged the general public to support this very worthwhile endeavour.
