(Extreme right) Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Kevin Barrett with Team Nevis Debaters at the Vance W. Amory International Airport on their way to defend their championship title at the 46th Leeward Islands Debating Competition in Anguilla.Nevis debaters to defend LIDC title in Anguilla
From the NIA
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – A team from the Nevis Literary and Debating Society is ready to defend its championship in the 46th Leeward Islands Debating Competition (LIDC). The debaters left the island Feb. 28 via the Vance W. Amory International Airport, headed to Anguilla to take part in the sub-regional competition. The LIDC will run March 2-4.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Kevin Barrett wished the Nevis team safe travels and encouraged them to do their best. “On behalf of the Ministry and Department of Education, we would just like to wish to our debating team all the best,” he said. “You did fantastically well last year and I’m hoping that you will do the same thing this year. We are hoping…that you will bring back that coveted trophy. I want you to concentrate. Do all the preparations that you need to because I know everybody would be targeting for Nevis this year because we are No. 1. We are hoping that at the end of the debating this weekend you would all do very well, make yourselves proud, make you families proud, make your school proud and ultimately make Nevis very, very proud of what you would do in Anguilla.” Barrett also urged the team to have fun, to enjoy Anguilla and to forge friendships with their peers.
The first night of competition on Friday will be Antigua versus St. Maarten with “Mental health issues among Caribbean adolescents have largely been ignored.” On the second night, Anguilla and Nevis will debate “Climate Change supersedes Crime and Drug Trafficking as the greatest threat to the stability and development of the Caribbean.” On the third and final night Sunday, the winner of night one will come up against winner of night two to debate the topic “Black people’s suspicion and resentment of white people is justified.”
Last year, Nevis secured three best speaker awards earned by Rol-J Williams, Gabriella Brantley and K-jel Smithen, who was also judged the overall best speaker of the competition.
Williams and Smithen are a part of this year’s team, along with Tassai Pemberton, Mikkel Maloney, Delcia Burke and Lauren Lawrence with two supporters Chelcia Burke and Jeriella Liburd.
Nevis’ participation in the LIDC was made possible by several partners. The gold, silver and bronze sponsors include the Ministries of Education, Sports et.al.; Nevis Multiline Services; Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation; White Gate Development Corporation; Daniel Brantley & Associates; Food Centre; RBTT Bank; S. L. Horsfords Co. Ltd.; Joseph Rowe and National Caribbean Insurance; St. Kitts, Nevis Anguilla- National Bank; Nevis Co-operative Credit Union; AMS Trustees (Nevis) Ltd.; Kittitian Food Services; Liburd & Dash L.P.; Bank of Nova Scotia; Morton Robinson; First Caribbean International Bank; The Finished Touch Ltd.; and Jacinta Wattley-Walters.
Other contributions were also made by several local businesses.
