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Mackenzie High is ‘J.O.F. Haynes’ debating champs again
The Mackenzie High School is the victor of the JOF Haynes Inter-Secondary School Debating competition for the second consecutive year.
The school’s excellent performance was driven by their opponent, Queen’s College’s, good fight in the battle of words, fluency and eloquence.
The competition was held yesterday at the National Cultural Centre, Georgetown.
Mackenzie High School’s Carlisse Blair receives the award from Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administrative), Donna Chapman.
Queen’s College proposed “Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy creates job opportunities for Youths” but Mackenzie High won out.
Mackenzie High School’s victory was not surprising since the delivery of the team’s opening argument by Carlisse Blair showed that they were in the competition to win. Her team mates, Melitia Hossanah and Louise McCloed also delivered well on the moot continuing the momentum.
They argued convincingly that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) will not see the creation of new jobs but rather temporary jobs that are unfavourable to youths. The debaters stated that while new industries will be created, traditional ones will crumble, for instance the bauxite industry.
Looking at the trend of some major economies with the introduction of green jobs, the debaters contended that instead of job creation there could be job destruction.
The opposition’s third speaker, Louise Mc Cloed, reiterated that Guyana’s Low Carbon jobs are highly unfavourable for youths. Referring to the June 2009 Low Carbon Development Strategy Frequently Asked Questions handbook, she noted that “electricity from hydro will allow for more jobs and offer better quality of life for all.”
McCloed stated that projects such as the Amaila Falls Hydro project and the hinterland electrification programme will have opening for construction and installation jobs. However, these job opportunities hardly favour youths in the long run, because they will be temporary in nature
Meanwhile, their colleagues of the proposition, Jewel Todd, Iyana Grogan and Jealisa Leung had some difficulties in addressing the moot. According to the Chief Judge, Lurine Meertin, the proposition team was too general in their arguments and did not focus enough on job creation for the young people, with the exception of the last speaker who somehow addressed that issue.
The proposition’s third speaker, Jealisa Leung, argued that the LCDS is aimed at investing in the Amaila Falls Hydro facility, drainage and irrigation, road development and the fiber optic cable to obtain clean energy, affordable telecommunications and access to unused land. This will be used to power other sectors of the LCDS such as agriculture, aquaculture and sustainable forestry.
She believed that a challenge to Guyana’s development is not well known to major investors outside the traditional industries. Investors therefore consider it highly risky to invest in projects. As such, the pros of these LCDS investments will be used as incentives to encourage investors to fund new industries.
Mackenzie High School was awarded 783 points while Queen’s College gained 743 points. The best speaker for the proposition team was Leung while the best speaker for the debate was Blair.
The winning school was presented with a computer from Metro Office and Computer Supplies. The company has been supporting the competition for years.
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