McGrath Student Wins St. Catherine Parish Council Debate Competition

Fifth form student of McGrath High School, in St. Catherine, Daren Miller, has emerged winner in the final of the St. Catherine Parish Council’s Parliamentary Style Debate Competition.
Mr. Miller has received the Mayor’s Award and the status of Youth Ambassador of St. Catherine for 2009. He will attend all civic functions put on by the Council, as well as serve on both the Mayor’s Committee and Events Committee.
The final round, which was held on February 11, in the Chamber’s room at the St. Catherine Parish Council, Spanish Town, saw McGrath High emerging victorious after presenting the moot, ‘Be it resolved that the St. Catherine tourism product is underdeveloped and underutilised’.
Second place went to Novia Cotterell of St. Jago High School, Spanish Town, while Symone Elizabeth Lawrence of Dinthill Technical High School placed third. The two moots presented were, ‘Be it resolved that Spanish Town, being the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere, should be recognised nationally and internationally’, and ‘ Be it resolved that the natural beauty and the great diversity of the flora and fauna of the parish of St. Catherine can be a great tourist attraction’.
In his address, Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, congratulated the students who had participated in the competition. He also commended the teachers for assisting the students to prepare their presentations.
Mayor Wheatley said the main purpose of the competition was to promote “a level of awareness to the town and to teach young persons about the historical importance of Spanish Town.”
The competition, which incorporated all high schools in the parish, is one of the many activities planned by the Council to commemorate the 475th anniversary of the founding of Spanish Town.