Leeward Islands Debating eighth-time winners – Montserrat beats St. Kitts in the 2014 Competition
The 2014 Leeward Islands Debating Competition ended with the high that pertained throughout. Team Montserrat comprising of Leader, Tiffannie Skerritt, Carlton Braithwaite, Christum Weekes, Sharese Allen, Trichelle Spencer and Vanice Tuitt emerged as victors in a relatively close finals contest against their ‘worthy’ opponents from St. Kitts.
The 2014 Debating competition took place at the Montserrat Cultural Centre in Little Bay from Thursday, February 27 to the Sunday March 2, 2014, fielding seven countries: Angullia, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts and St. Marten.
Franklyn Michael
The competition began with a formal opening with speeches from a few dignitaries including the Honorable Premiere Reuben T. Meade.
Each night there was a charged atmosphere with anticipation and excitement. The competition began with Anguilla and St. Kitts battling it out over the topic “Blacklisting Caribbean Financial Centers is a modern form of colonialism.”
The next night Nevis proposed the topic “A College education is becoming less important to the success of Caribbean youths,” beating the British Virgin Islands. In the night’s second debate Montserrat won easily over St. Marten defending the moot “The Caribbean Diaspora builds societies abroad and so has little value for the region”.
The third night, St. Kitts won a second time taking honours over last year’s winner Antigua defending the moot, CARICOM is justified in its quest for reparations from slavery”. Next, Montserrat won over Nevis, again defending, this time the moot, “There should be term limits for Caribbean Prime Ministers”. The night’s two winning teams were set for the finals.
St. Kitts – Proposers
At the end of the final night, Montserrat reigned supreme over St. Kitts. having successfully brought opposing arguments to the moot “Voting in national elections should be the right of resident citizens only”.
Tiffannie Skerritt and 
Trichelle Spencer represented Montserrat in Debate #6, compiling a score of 496 points against St. Kitts 469 points in a competition which most felt could have gone to either team.
This year, Montserrat hosted the competition for the 9th time in its glorified 42-year history. This year’s victory makes it the 8th time that Montserrat has emerged victorious in the overall competition.
Tiffannie Skerritt dominated the annual event and earning the “Best Speaker” title for the three nights she debated. It was easy that she earned the award for “Best overall speaker” for the four-day event.
Team Montserrat was led by Tiffannie Skerritt, with Sharese Allen, Trichelle Spencer, Carlon Braithwaite and Christum Weekes. Dr. Samuel Joseph of the Montserrat Community College was the lead staff supporter.
At the closing ceremony of the LIDC on Sunday, March 2, Minister of Education, the Honourable Colin Riley commended the debaters for their excellent performance and the well-researched topics.
“All in all I thought it was exceptional competition, and it just speaks about the future of these islands, they are in capable hands,” he said, adding, “I think the young people are going to go on to excellent careers, I’m asking them to reach out to their fellow age group members and to say to them there is hope and one of the things in some of the teams that lost early there were some very good debaters as well and we didn’t get to see them again.”
Montserrat – The opposers
The esteemed Mr. Franklyn Michael, delivered what many consider to be a stellar address on the opening night of the competition. What he stated in a nutshell is that beyond the primary objective of intellectual sparring, LIDC presented an opportunity also for the youths taking part to gain experience and grow in other ways; deciding what it is they wish to become in life and the type of contributions they would prefer to make to the progress of their communities.
On closing night during the presentation Michael received the Annual Dr. George Irish Oratorical Award. Premier, the Honourable Reuben T. Meade noted the critical role played by Mr. Michael to debating not only in Montserrat but across the Leeward Islands. Mr. Michael responded that it is an award he will treasure as a token from the people of Montserrat.
Ending night the Governor’s wife Sujue Davis gave out awards and certificates to the participants and all the important persons who gave of their graces to make the tournament the success it was hailed to be.
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