— as first round of JOF Haynes Debating Competition gets underway

THE 2019 Joseph Oscar Fitzclarence (JOF) Haynes Memorial Debating Competition was declared open at the Three Miles Secondary School, Bartica, Region Seven, on Thursday, and that school emerged winner in the opening debate.

Soon after the official opening, students from Santa Rosa Secondary School, Region One, matched skills against their counterparts from Three Miles Secondary School on the moot “Students’ attendance at school should be made optional”.

The Three Miles Secondary School proposed the moot while Santa Rosa opposed it. After the round of fierce competition and excellent delivery on both sides, the judge had a tough time tallying to declare the winner.

While the Three Miles team seemed to have been at the disadvantage with the structure of the moot and the stance they had to take, the speakers showed no sign of intimidation and raised some mind-changing points. Their rebuttal and arguments presented saw them defeating Santa Rosa by just one point.

In addition to winning the round, Three Miles Secondary School also secured the Best Speaker prize.
Representing the host school were Shania Straker, Georgio Chanderbhan, Shakalia Murray and Lorez Holder (stand by). The visiting team included Marianna Gonsalves, Twyla Torres, Shevon Joseph and Selina LaRose (stand by). Georgio Chanderbhan was adjudged the Best Debater.

Among those present at the launching ceremony and first round of the competition were Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford; Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall; Regional Education Officer for Region Seven, Akbar Chindu, who declared the competition open; other education officials and a representative from SOL Guyana Inc., which is the corporate sponsor of the national event.

It was revealed that the sponsor has committed to making a monetary award to every team advancing to the next round of competition, right up to the final.

The JOF Haynes Memorial Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition is held annually. The competition is used to celebrate the oratorical expertise of the late JOF Haynes, who in his day, was identified as the most brilliant and eminent lawyer of his generation. The competition is now in its 31th year.