“Every year we keep getting better” , Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony said as Queen’s College scored 696 points and St. Rose’s 670 last Tuesday, in the final match of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI) 3rd Annual Inter-Secondary School Impromptu Speech Competition.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony presents the winners’ trophy to the Queen’s College team. From Left: Saed Khalil, Richard Rambarran and Keisha Campbell.

The competition was held at the GBTI Recreation Centre on Kaieteur Road, Bel Air Park.

Continuing, Anthony stated that if students are to be “holistic and developed”, then it is necessary to expose them to events such as impromptu speech.

“Parental support is vital” he stressed, “A little parental support can go a long way in building confidence”.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi he said: “Every good deed is its own advertisement”.

The St. Rose’s team comprised Aaron Homer, Rehanna Wilson and Saed Hamid, who spoke on the topics “The person who has molded me”, ‘Public shame should be added to the punishment of convicted criminals” and “Should young offenders be thrown into jail”.

Mr. Radhakrishna Sharma, C.E.O of GBTI, presents the runner-up trophy to the St. Roses team. From Left: Aaron Homer, Rehanna Wilson and Saed Hamid.

Richard Rambarran and Keisha Campbell, part of the winning team, spoke on the topics “Working mothers good or bad?” and “Should religious education be taught to all students?” Saed Khalil, who won the prize for best speaker of the competition, had the audience in fits of laughter with his speech on the topic “Can music change a person’s life?”

The annual competition commenced on May 7, 2009. Tuesday’s event followed 14 rounds that involved Fourth Form students from 16 secondary schools drawn from Georgetown, East Bank and East Coast Demerara.

Bibi Wharton-Branch, Manager of the Regent Street Branch of GBTI, said, “The Bank [GBTI] has placed emphasis on the development of youths; and as such impromptu speaking was chosen with the intention of promoting the development of communication, leadership and teaching skills. It also allows the youths to gain self confidence, harness their thoughts quickly and improve their oral expressions.”

The final leg of the competition was judged by Dr Joyce Jonas, Reader at the Department of Language & Culture Studies at the University of Guyana; Ms. Bonita Hunter, Senior Education Officer-Arts; and Ms. Joan Kendall, Former Headmistress of St. Joseph’s High School.