Damion Wilson, Philone Campbell and Harsha Cooke, students at Ferncourt High School in St Ann, emerged third-round winners in the Burger King National Schools' Debate last Friday.

Proposing the moot 'Be it resolved that job sharing is the answer' at the Half-Way Tree Entertainment Complex in St Andrew, the students defeated Paul Bogle High in a close competition. The team got straight to the point, making relations between the moot and the current global recession.

Without sharing, the Ferncourt team argued, crime and violence, starvation and poverty would become more prevalent.

Winners

Wilson, the only male Ferncourt speaker, was judged the best speaker.

Another winner from the round was Happy Grove High School in Portland, which opposed the moot 'Be it resolved that entertainment should be censored' after they beat Yallahs High from St Thomas. The judges awarded Alydia Thompson the best speaker.

In the third match, Monique Arnold, Shantal Bailey and Shannon Fairweather from Titchfield High School ousted Guy's Hill High in St Catherine after they opposed the moot 'Be it resolved that the computer is our salvation'.

The fourth match was a heated affair between Westwood High in Trelawny and St Mary High School in St Mary. In the end, Westwood, which opposed the moot 'Be it resolved that the media serves us well', came out the winner.

"I am elated that my school won the contest because much hard work was put into the preparation by the team before coming here," said Westwood's Radeen Henry.

Norma Rochester, chief judge and chairperson for the competitions, spoke on behalf of the judges, who were please with the performances. According to the judges, the students had current information, relevant to what was happening in Jamaica and the rest of the world.

The fourth round marks the beginning of television coverage.