MONTEGO BAY, St James — Cornwall College recently emerged the winner of the Jamaica Information Service’s (JIS) Heritage Debate, held each year for high schools across the island.

Munro College and Hampton High School were awarded second and third places respectively during the debate, which ended at the Anglican Church Hall in Ocho Rios last Thursday.

The moot debated was “be it resolved that the Sam Sharpe-led rebellion did more harm than good to the emancipation process”.

The Montego Bay-based Cornwall College team of Charles Barrett, Gregory Simms, and Lij Sinclair scored a total of 389 points, against the 360 points of the Munro College team that comprised Darren Andrews, Jomo Whyte, and Robert Whyte.

Cornwall and Munro competed for the first prize after a series of elimination matches held throughout the day. Lij Sinclair and Charles Barrett, both of Cornwall College, were awarded the competition’s best and second best speakers, respectively. Nakita Nembhard of Hampton High School and Robert Whyte of Munro College were adjudged best speakers for the semi-finals.

Other schools contesting the finals included:

* the Ferncourt and Montego Bay high schools;

* the Glenmuir and St Mary high schools; and

* the St Thomas High School.

The five year-old competition, which attracted the participation of some 40 schools, up from 29 last year, was held in observation of National Heritage Week, in October. The competition was aimed at improving the students’ awareness of national heroes and their contribution to the island’s development.

The competition, which was held at various venues across the island, was also geared at encouraging students to conduct research on the national heroes.