President’s College Online

PRESIDENT’S College (PC) yesterday won a round in the second Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition.

It defeated St Stanislaus College at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) building, on Battery Road, Kingston, Georgetown.
Their lively debate lasted for about 40 minutes after PC proposed the moot `The celebration of national festivals has the potential to unite the various ethnic groups in Guyana’ and St Stanislaus opposed.

The theme for the contest is `Stimulating intellectual debate among students on issues pertaining to race relations in Guyana.’

ERC Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Christine King said the series is aimed at creating a peaceful environment for students to exchange views on local issues pertaining to race relations.

She said 24 schools from Georgetown and in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) will vie in the elimination rounds leading up to
the competition finals on June 28.

King explained that, in those rounds, the teams will deal with moots such as `Perceptions of inequality and injustice are to blame for ethnic tension in Guyana,’, `Inter-racial marriages present the only hope for racial harmony in Guyana,’, `The tranquility and non-violence which followed the August 28, 2006 general elections indicate a willingness in Guyanese to live in peace and harmony,’ and `Shared governance could reconcile the racial differences which exist between the two main ethnic groups in Guyana’.

The ERC is also planning to involve tertiary educational institutions, like the University of Guyana and Cyril Potter College of Education in similar rivalries later this year.

The ERC inaugurated the Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition in 2006 when Zeeburg Secondary emerged at the top after defeating St Stanislaus in the semi-finals and Bush Lot Secondary in the final round.

Also making brief remarks on the occasion yesterday were ERC member, Mr. John Willems and Senior Education Officer, Ministry of Education, Ms. Bonita Hunter.