St Joseph Tenaru School and Selwyn College were awarded winners of the 2016 G’Day Solomon Islands Great Debate, which was held on Wednesday at the Ahara conference room, at the Heritage Park Hotel.
The program was officially open with key note address from Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECCDMM) Hon. Samuel Manetoali.
The participating schools were St Joseph, St Nicholas, Betikama Adventist College (BAC) and Selwyn College.
The Great Debate enables senior students from four high schools in the country to express their views about key issues affecting the future of Solomon Islands.
This year’s theme is climate change.
The debate shows three students representing St Joseph confronting three representatives from BAC debating the topic ‘Adaptation is a better response to Climate Change than mitigation,’ which St Joseph Tenaru was awarded the winner that argues on the negative perspective of the statement, beating BAC who stands on the affirmative view of the topic.
In the second debate it focused on the statement ‘Small Islands States like Solomon Islands have greater obligation to combat climate change than other countries,’ which Selwyn College that argued against it was victorious over St Nicholas, who debates on the affirmative aspect of the statement.
The event was successfully hosted as participants really appreciate the program, stating it was truly educational, since they were able to learn more about issues of climates change especially in the context of Pacific Islands.
By AATAI JOHN
