A total of 10 teams of debaters from secondary schools in Kingston, St Catherine and St Thomas turned out to debate the moots “Bob Marley should be a National Hero” and “Bob Marley’s most important message was that of Rastafari” at the inaugural Bob Marley Secondary Schools Debating Competition. Organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the round-one elimination matches took place last Thursday and Friday at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre in Kingston.

On day one, St Catherine High School defeated Camperdown High and advanced to the second round along with Melrose Primary & Junior High School and Innswood High School, who moved on by default. Day two saw Hydel High School beat Yallahs High, while Waterford High School defeated Wolmer’s Boys’ School and Ardenne High advanced ahead of St Thomas Technical High School.

At the first Central region elimination, which took place at the Cecil Charlton Hall in Mandeville last Monday, Clarendon College and Vere Technical High School were among the first set of debaters to advance to round two of the competition. Also advancing from the Central region were Garvey Maceo High and Elderslie Primary & Junior High School, whose opponents failed to show for the round one matches. The remaining competitors in the Central region will do battle on December 1 at the St Mark’s Anglican Church in Mandeville.

Eliminations in the Northern region (St Mary, Portland and St Ann) will take place on December 8 at the Port Maria Civic Centre, while eliminations for the Western region will take place in January 2010.