St Kitts/Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago have advanced to the finals of the CARICOM 25TH Anniversary Regional Secondary Schools Debating Competition following the semi-finals in Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago on Friday last.
The team from St. Kitts/Nevis successfully argued that “The Growth of Tourism in the Region has a Negative Effect on Caribbean Identity” and defeated the home team Dominica who made their first appearance in the competition.
In the other semi-final, The Bahamas could not overcome a strong hometown challenge from the Trinidad and Tobago team who successfully argued that the “Sexual Behaviour of the Adolescent is More influenced by Parents than Peers.”
The finals of the competition, which has been co-sponsored by LIAT (1974) Ltd., BWIA, Suriname Airways, Bahamas Air , Air Caribbean, Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), Neal and Massy Holdings, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T), Caribbean Communications Network (CCN),Courts (Dominica) and Guyana’s National Bank of Industry and Commerce will take place at the new Congress Halle in Paramaribo, Suriname on Wednesday 3 March 1999.
The two teams will debate the topic “The Increased Crime Rate in the Region is a Direct Result of the Penetration of the Foreign Media.” The winning team will receive a challenge trophy donated by the Secretary-General of CARICOM.
The event is part of the programme of activities planned to coincide with the Tenth Inter-sessional Meting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.
The debating competition is one of the final major events marking the 25th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas which established the Caribbean Community and Common Market . Other events included a Caribbean Concert and a cricket match between Heads of Government and the University of the West Indies in Saint Lucia last July, and the Caribbean Youth Parliament in The Bahamas last September.
