OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Debaters from six high schools across the country were in their element on Friday as they competed for the title of 2025 Junior Minister of Tourism Jamaica.

In the first round of the annual public speaking competition, the 11 students were given four tourism-related topics to choose from and make a three-minute presentation to a panel of five judges. This was followed by a mystery question segment where contestants were tasked to provide one-minute replies to questions randomly pulled from envelopes.

After the judges’ deliberations, three girls were chosen to advance to round two of the competition. They are Kiara Bowman of Montego Bay High School, Caleader Lewison of Hampton High School and Jullisa Dujon of Manning’s School. Lewison placed third in last year’s contest.

“I’m excited to be participating in the final round of the competition; this is so exciting and I’m forever grateful to my support system,” Dujon told the Jamaica Observer.

The teenager said preparing for the competition was demanding.

“I became familiar with my content and kept going over my presentation until I figured out what seemed right and let it flow,” said Dujon.

The contest is open to students between the ages of 15 and 17 years who are members of their school’s Tourism Action Club. Friday’s competition was moderated by 2024 Junior Tourism Minister Taj Melbourne who was delighted to see an increase in the number of students showing interest in the event.

“There are more contestants this year than last year and that is a good thing. I’m excited to see what happens. I’m very proud of what I saw today, the contestants were very confident. Their presentations really show how innovative and creative they are,” he said

Friday’s staging was held at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in St Ann, which will also be the venue for the final round of the competition in a couple weeks. General Manager Carol Bourke said it is pleasure for the organisation to host the event for the third-consecutive year.

“Tourism is one of the cornerstones of our country’s development and at Sandals Ochi, we are proud to support initiatives that educate and inspire our youth. Hosting the junior minister competition and welcoming students from several schools was truly an honour,” she said.

The winner of the final contest will represent Jamaica on the international stage, including the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Youth Congress.

Eleven students from six schools across the country participated in the 2025 Junior Tourism Minister debating competition’s first round on Friday. (Akera Davis)

The 2024 Junior Tourism Minister Taj Melbourne moderating the first round of the 2025 staging of the competition. (Akera Davis)