Kids wrestle with question of armed cops

(CNS): Students from Cayman Prep and Cayman Brac high schools went into verbal battle recently to fight for the title of the 20th Annual Fred Speirs Inter-School Debates Championship. The two teams argued over the moot: “Unarmed police officers are poorly equipped to deal with today’s escalating violent crime" moved by the team from Cayman Prep. Cayman Brac, who opposed it, eventually won the day. The judges complemented both teams for their efforts in what was described as a lively debate.

The judging criteria included consideration for depth of thought, proof of research, fluency and tone, body language, eye contact, persuasion, confidence, and enthusiasm. Rotary Sunrise Past President Woody Foster said, " The debate was very lively and well fought by both teams. The judges were very complimentary of the teams and were positive on the level of research and delivery from both schools."

This verbal finale took place at 6:30pm on 14 April in the Courts Office, sponsored by British Caymanian Insurance and co-hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Grand Cayman Central and Sunrise. The judges were Franz Manderson (Honorary Rotarian and Chief Officer for the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs), Annie Briggs (Literacy Coordinator from Ministry of Education), and by Graeme Halkerston (Partner in Litigation and Insolvency at Appleby’s).

The Inter-School Debates have been named for the late Frederick John Speirs, Past President of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Central, who first organized the competition and who spent 30 years educating the youth of the Cayman Islands.