By Monique Washington
The Nevis Literary and Debating Society has, for the third consecutive time, captured the 46th Leeward Islands Debating Competition (LIDC) with team member Azel Williams capturing Best Speaker on night four.
The team and supporters returned to the island on Monday, after spending four days on host island Antigua. Schoolmates, teachers, education officials, Ministers of Government and well wishers waited at the pier in Charlestown to welcome the winning team. A brief ceremony was held on the waterfront to welcome the debaters.
Team members Azel Williams, Kervincia Webbe, Delcia Burke, Dahlia Slack, Zidan Wilkin, Patrice Nisbett ll participated in the semi–finals on the third night against Anguilla and won. The moot for that debate was “The lack of trust in our own people is the main reason why the majority of CARICOM states are yet to adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice as their final court of appeal.”
On Sunday at the finals, team Nevis came up against host island Antigua. The moot for that debate is “Caribbean countries have not done enough to afford the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community the same legal rights and protections as other citizens.” At the end of the night Nevis was named champions and Azel Williams captured Best Speaker on night four.
Williams said that over the few weeks she has progressed as a debater.
“To be honest I am really honored and pleased that I was awarded best speaker for final night,” she said.
Junior Minister of Education, Hon Troy Liburd noted that he had “no doubts” that the Nevis team would return winners.
“At no point in time did I have any doubts at all that Nevis would win because our students were top,” he said.
Liburd added “when people do good, we should celebrate them. When people do excellent, we should celebrate them a bit more. I don’t know what we call three-peat. We will have to find something nice to do for our debating team. Today is all about celebrating their achievement.”
Liburd congratulated the staff, sponsors, the teachers and everybody who was involved in getting the debaters ready for the debate.
“When you put in the hard work the results are excellence. And excellence is what we have here today, excellence is what we are celebrating. Strive to do excellence things,” he said.
