Southern Region representative soon chosen for oil debate
Judy Waight
Stann Creek’s Ecumenical High School will compete against either the Toledo Community College or Julian Cho High School to represent the southern region in the first annual oil debate competition. On Monday in Dangriga, Ecumenical High beat Georgetown Technical in arguments in favor of the debate for the establishment of an oil refinery. The competition was created to trigger a discussion on oil exploration and research in the jewel says Education Outreach Officer of the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage, Judy Waight and will make youths engaged on the issues related to oil in Belize.
Judy Waight, Education Outreach Officer, Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage
“Yesterday the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage held its second round of oil debate competition and it was held between the Stann Creek Ecumenical College and the Georgetown Technical High School.”
Reporter
“Tell us about the results of that competition and where that takes Ecumenical who actually won?”
Judy Waight
“Well yesterday, we did the Stann Creek District and we’ll be doing the Toledo District in early January. So whoever wins from Toledo will compete against Stann Creek Ecumenical College for the southern region competition.”
Reporter
“Now this is a round of preliminary debates and that will lead to a grand final battle. Could you tell us about that?”
Judy Waight
“Yes after we are done with the southern region, then we start with our semifinals which start in February and then we do the nationals which should be around April. The purpose of doing an oil debate is to have the discussion of oil among schools and to train them to do research and also into doing public speaking.
The discussion on oil is huge, so we are having different topics relating to oil. Like yesterday’s resolution was the establishment of an oil refinery will decrease the cost of fuel and also the dependency on foreign oil. So it is all issues relating to what we have been hearing on the news. We also have topics relating to communal lands and oil.”
Nationals are expected to be held in early April. The top students will receive a trophy as well as a fifty dollars gift certificate and the winning group also gets a trip to a protected area—either inland or offshore.
