BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IT was celebration time at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) yesterday morning (Mar. 19) as the school hosted a commemorative assembly in honour of its students’ victory at the most recent edition of the Leeward Islands Debating Competitions (LIDC).
This year’s LIDC was held in St. Maarten at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort from February 27 to March 1 and brought together dozens of young and intelligent debaters from the host country, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, defending champion St. Kitts, Montserrat and Nevis. Additionally, hundreds of staff sponsors and country supporters were present during the competition to cheer on their respective teams.
Team St. Kitts consisted of lead speakers Akeem Bacchus and Rolhensha Henry supported by Tishima Browne, Isalean Phillip, Xavienne-Roma Richardson and Carlton Williams.
After Henry and Phillip beat Team Anguilla in the Semi-finals, Bacchus and Richardson brought the trophy home to St. Kitts for the second consecutive year with their opposition to “The greatest threat to sustainable development in the Caribbean is the existing political culture”.
The victory increased St. Kitts’ win total to nine, making it the most victorious country in LIDC history. It was also Team St. Kitts’ first away championship in 28 years. Additionally, Bacchus and Henry both won Best Speaker awards. Henry was named the competition’s Best Overall Speaker and it marked the fourth consecutive year that a St. Kitts debater had walked away with the coveted honour.
Yesterday’s ceremony was held under the patronage of Minister of Education and Youth, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Sam Condor, as well as the various Division and Department Heads of the CFBC and several of its students.
Condor praised the team’s “record-setting performance” and called on its members to continue making the college proud. However, he stressed that they should remember the plight of their fellow students.
“We are all aware of the problems we are currently facing in regards to the youth of this country. You are role models and thus you have the responsibility to move this country forward. In order to accomplish this you must become peer counsellors and take every other CFBC student to the heights you have travelled to.
“If something is going to be done about this crime problem, we need our bright young minds contributing to the process. View your participation in the LIDC as preparation for life and for the development of your country. The government and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis are proud of you,” Condor said.
In recognition of their outstanding performance, members of Team St. Kitts were presented with gifts and tokens of appreciation. In response, Team Representative Richardson thanked the school’s staff and students, the Ministry of Education and especially Staff Sponsor Wanda Hughes for their support and encouragement before and after the competition.
