Increased Participation and Prizes for Public Sector Debate Competition

The stage is set for the third Public Sector Debate Competition, which promises to be bigger and better than before, with increased participation and prizes.

The competition, spearheaded by the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU), Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, in partnership with the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment Limited (JADE), was launched on Wednesday (May 15), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, in New Kingston.

In his address, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said the competition has fast become a staple on the public-sector calendar, and is important to the theme of transformation, progress and positive change.

“The Public Sector Debate Competition allows us the opportunity to, in an open, free and transparent manner, proffer solutions to Jamaica’s challenges and problems, and to have those solutions contend and compete with each other,” the Minister said.

“It also provides us a forum to exchange ideas as we work together to make Jamaica the place of choice that we all want and know that Jamaica can be,” he added.

The Minister emphasised that the debate should not be seen just as an exchange of words but rather an engagement with ideas.

Meanwhile, Executive Director, TIU, Maria Thompson Walters, informed that the value of prizes has been increased based on feedback received from last year’s staging.

“Our first place will receive prizes and awards totalling $850,000, second place gets prizes and awards amounting to $570,000, while third place receives prizes and awards valued at $430,000,” said Ms. Thompson Walters, adding that fourth place will also be walking away with a prize package of $200,000 for the first time.

She further noted that no team will walk away from the competition empty-handed, as their participation is valued.

“We value the time and effort it takes to prepare for each match and the value it adds to the public sector. We admire the spirit of competition [and] the brilliant forward-thinking ideas that have emerged from the competition,” Ms. Thompson Walters said.

Additionally, more sectional prizes have been introduced, giving teams, not just those in the finals, more opportunities to win.

“We have introduced the Best Teamwork Award and the Most Engaged Team Award,” said Ms. Thompson Walters.

The Executive Director further indicated that she is proud of the level of dialogue the competition has fostered around critical issues for the public service.

“We have looked at things that affect us locally in Jamaica, regionally as Caribbean people, and we have looked at issues that affect us internationally. Throughout the life of the competition, which started in 2019, we have had discourse on paternity leave, retirement age, regional issues such as constitutional reform, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), and even on broader issues such as the death penalty and reparations,” she said.

This year’s competition has seen a surge in interest, with a record number of 26 teams participating, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for the initiative.

The value of prizes has also increased to $3.5 million.

Of the 26 teams, 13 participated in previous years.

The competition was not held in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.