Montego Bay High Wins JIS Heritage Debate

Montego Bay High School in St. James was crowned western regional champions of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Heritage Debate competition, held on October 30 at the Cornwall College auditorium.
This school was strongly challenged by defending champions Cornwall College, which placed second.
Eight schools from St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland, took part in the debate arguing the moot; ‘Be it resolved that Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante achieved more for Jamaica as a Trade Unionist than as a Politician”.
For winning, the team of three students from Montego Bay High walked away with the coveted Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSCo) trophy along with three replicas; book vouchers valued at $3,000 each; vouchers valued at $1,000.00 each from Bank of Nova Scotia Montego Bay branch; the City Sports Shield; and $10,000 from Dr. Clive McKenzie.
Schade Stanton, team member, who was adjudged ‘Best Debater’, received a trophy; $1,000 from National Commercial Bank and a pocket calculator from Salmon’s Photo Studio.
For placing second, Cornwall College received the JIS trophy, dictionaries from Henderson’s Bookstore and book vouchers valued at approximately $1,200 each from Price Waterhouse Coopers.
All participating teams received certificates and Bustamante medallions, courtesy of the JIS.
Chief Executive Officer of JIS, Carmen Tipling, in addressing the teams, said that the agency welcomed the opportunity to join forces with JPSCo and other sponsors to stage a competition where students were given the opportunity to learn more about the life and work of the national heroes.
“We believe that it is at this young and impressionable age that ideas can be shaped, ambitions can be nurtured and young people challenged to go on and do great things. We firmly believe also that through this debate, students, who have carried out research, have expanded their knowledge base and now know more than they knew before”, Mrs. Tipling noted.
The CEO of JIS stressed that the contributions of all the sponsors were highly appreciated and urged them to continue giving of their financial support in future programmes. Montego Bay High School will now be moving on to represent the region at the National Heritage Debate finals which is expected to be held at the Seville Great House in St. Ann in February next year.