As a number of Caribbean Governments examine the thorny issue of whether the use of marijuana should be legalised in their respective territories, a group of Anguillian students have come up with what was described as a captivating debate for and against the matter.
The weekend debate finals, at the Rodney MacArthur Rey Auditorium, involved Campus B students from forms one and two of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. The topic was The Legalisation of marijuana in the Caribbean would have more benefits than disadvantages.
The speakers and winners of the proposition were Chadd Hodge and Samisha Connor both of whom scored a total of 149 points. Chadd was also adjudged as the Finals Best Speaker 2014. The speakers for the opposition were Xaviere Devonish and Ivory Crump who scored a total of 137.5 points.
The fact that the proposers of the controversial topic won the debate was not an indication that they or their supporters were really of the belief that marijuana should be legalised. The two debaters simply won on the manner of their research and presentation.
The debate involved members of the New Young Progressive Debaters (NYPD), the junior arm of the senior debaters of Campus A known as the Literary and Debating Society. “Debates are conducted throughout the year from October with an impromptu speech competition and then we go into a debating competition in which we merge a first former and a second former,” Colin Mr Johnson, the coordinator of the debate explained. “For this debate, we started with about twenty teams and kept eliminating them until we came down to the last two teams and so we just had the finals for those who were left and of course we now have the winners.”
Mr Johnson outlined the purpose of the series of debates for the first and second formers as follows: “It is to help the young students to develop their speaking skills as their research and writing skills. It is also designed to help them to discuss issues that are prevalent in Anguilla and elsewhere in the world. In addition, it helps to prepare them for the senior debate of the Literary and Debating Society of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School which participates in the Annual Leeward Islands Debating Competition.”
The panel of judges comprised Tahirah Banks (Head Judge), Sherise Brooks and Shinika Lake.
In addition to the four participants in the debate finals, mentioned above, other winners of in the earlier stages were Chamard Gumbs, Jodi Vanterpool, Severine Pradel, Timoya Hodge, Jessica Hodge, Erianne Harrigan, Krenzh Carty, Andeesha Connor, Myisha L’etang, Jersey Turvides, Dumisa Richards, Michael Martin, and Ameeya Woodley.
The NYPD debates started in 2003. “It was the brainchild of Denecia Niles who was the first president, “Mr Johnson added. “I was asked whether, as a teacher, I would spearhead the event and it just started to get better and better.”
