Wednesday, January 23 2008

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Planning strategy: Christine Maniram, left, and Carnisha Pittie of Barataria Junior Secondary discuss their strategy during a preliminary round of the...

Nerves got the better of the debate team from Rafeek Memorial TML Secondary School, costing them victory in yesterday’s preliminary round match of the RBTT Young Leaders debate held yesterday at the National Library, Port-of-Spain.

Christine Maniram and Carnisha Pittie of Barataria Junior Secondary advanced to the second round of the competition after successfully debating against the motion, “Technology has created a gap between the generations that cannot be bridged.”

Rafeek Memorial students, Khadijah Alexander and Kristia Ramlogan, did their best to argue for the motion stating that new technology alienated older people, creating tension with the youth.

Marina Salandy-Browne, one of the competition judges, in her critique of the morning’s proceedings said although both sides were nervous, one side was able to utilise their anxiety to their advantage.

She explained that the debate was largely one-sided because of a lack of confidence shown by one team.

She lamented that debaters were reading their arguments as opposed to presenting them to the judges and the audience. She added that use of time was important to all debaters especially time allotted for summary.

She commended the debaters though for their fluency, their audibility and the use of examples close to home.