THE Ministry of National Security and the Trelawny Municipal Corporation will compete in the final of the inaugural Public Sector Debate Competition on April 25.

Both teams will debate the moot: “Be it resolved that the goal of Vision 2030, ‘to make Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business’, is a realistic one.”

The Ministry of National Security edged out the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), while the Trelawny Municipal Corporation eliminated the Victoria Jubilee Hospital during the semi-final round of the competition held on April 9.

“My teammates and I have grown through this competition and it has really been an enlightening and fruitful process,” captain of the Ministry of National Security’s debate team, Peta Gay Rowe, said during an interview with JIS News.

In the meantime, captain of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation’s team, Shakera Williams, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about the various policies of the public sector and its transformation.

“The team is super excited to have made it this far in the competition. Travelling to and from Trelawny for matches can be tiring, but we have a goal so we make it work. The competition has been an excellent source of insight for all of us,” Williams said.

Executive director of the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU) in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Maria Thompson Walters, congratulated both teams.

“The debates have been quite inspiring and I am looking forward to the finals, and if it is anything like the semi-finals, we are in for an interesting evening full of competition, but, as always, good camaraderie,” Thompson Walters said.

Friends, family, and well-wishers of the teams are encouraged to track the competition on the TIU’s social media pages. Team supporters are also encouraged to follow the TIU’s Instagram and Facebook pages and vote for their favourite team in the online ‘Fan Favourite’ Competition, which ends on April 18.

There will be a special prize for the most liked team photo on the TIU’s Facebook page TIUjamaica and Instagram page @tiu_jamaica.

The Public Sector Debate Competition is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Transformation Implementation Unit, in partnership with the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment Limited. The winning team will walk away with more than $600,000 in prizes and the champion trophy.

— JIS