By Samuel Gillis
Bygeval Secondary School Youth Group has progressed to the second round of the Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition 2024, following their victory over St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church Youth Group on Tuesday.
The moot for this debate was “Guyana should implement a comprehensive animal management programme.” Aquancy Charles, the first speaker for Bygeval, argued passionately that such a program would provide essential care and shelter for animals.
She emphasized the importance of recognizing animals as sentient beings that deserve respect and care, highlighting their capacity for pain, joy, and anger.
Conversely, Kamara Winter from St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church Youth Group countered that managing Guyana’s over 3,000 animal species comprehensively is an impractical endeavor.
She pointed out the challenges of addressing living conditions, migration patterns, trade limits, and reproduction under one national program, arguing that it would be impossible to implement effectively in a single effort.
Despite the strong arguments from both sides, Bygeval Secondary School Youth Group emerged victorious with a score of 174.6, surpassing St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church Youth Group’s 158.3.