Ignite News staff named ‘Best Debater’ in Speaker’s youth matchup

Moses Williams, 24, a staff member of Ignite News, has been named ‘Best Debater’ as the Speaker’s Regional Youth Debating Competition continued at the Chamber of the Public Buildings in Georgetown on Tuesday.

Williams’ team, the Nyah Foundation Youth Group, secured a win over Next Generation Diplomats and will advance to the second round for Region Four. They will join an impressive lineup of advancing teams, including Cummings Lodge Youth Movement, Grove/Diamond Youth Ambassadors, JCI Guyana, the University of Guyana Women in Law Association, the Gen Advocates, and the Child Rights Ambassadors Youth Group.

The moot under discussion was: “Vehicles should be banned from the Stabroek Market area.”

Both teams delivered compelling, well-researched arguments, captivating the live audience and online viewers alike. The panel of judges commended the participants for their impressive delivery and depth of knowledge.

Nyah Foundation Youth Group, standing on the proposition side, emerged victorious with 240 points, while the Next Generation Diplomats Youth Group, representing the opposition side, secured 196 points.

In redefining the moot, the winning team clarified that they were not advocating for an indiscriminate prohibition of all vehicles in the Stabroek Market area. Instead, they proposed a carefully regulated restriction, allowing only essential government vehicles, such as police and emergency services, as well as designated shuttle buses, to bridge the gap of inconvenience.

Williams, who was the first speaker, addressed the desecration of the Stabroek Market area as a historical landmark, the economic impacts of the ban, and the rise of socially unacceptable behaviours. Second speaker Joshua Dorris examined the environmental toll, with a focus on noise pollution, food contamination, and overall environmental degradation.

Meanwhile, the third speaker, Anthony Assanah, highlighted public safety concerns, including crime and accidents.

The Speaker’s Regional Youth Debating Competition 2025 features 50 passionate teams from across Guyana, each vying for the ultimate title through insightful discourse and unwavering determination.