Chairman of the Productivity Council, Anthony Johnson????
Chairman of the Productivity Council, Anthony Johnson, is urging students to apply the precepts of ethics and excellence in all their endeavours.
??Speaking during the official opening ceremony of the Council’s secondary schools debating competition today, at Solidarity House, he told the pupils to be ethical in their pursuit of excellence.
Mr. Johnson stated: "To be good leaders, you must strive for excellence and as you live your life, you must behave in an ethical manner and you must engage others in the process of leadership, so that everyone would be thinking and walking along the same road."
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations, Denis DePeiza, said debating not only exposed the participants to social issues, but also enhanced the students’ critical thinking skills.
"As you participate in this year’s debates, I wish you to know that competitive debating is a challenging and highly rewarding activity.?? However, I must warn you not merely to see this activity as a competition … It is not all about winning…. You need to go beyond that and to identify with the benefits of being on the debate team," he maintained.
Mr. DePeiza also urged the students to enjoy the camaraderie of their teammates, forge lasting relationships and to eliminate any inhibitions about public speaking. "You must be mindful that your level of confidence and ability to express yourself, will serve you in good stead; particularly when you face a job or scholarship interview."
In urging the students to be effective debaters, he advised them to develop analytical skills and to critically examine a problem and propose a workable solution.?? The General Secretary also wanted them to be careful listeners and good note takers and to enhance their research skills by utilising the internet and public libraries.
The trade union representative also encouraged the students to be smart thinkers and to be ethical and honest in the delivery of their material.
The students from Springer Memorial and St Leonard’s debated each other on the topic: Employers Have the Right to Monitor Employees’ Internet Usage. At the end of the contest, St. Leonard’s were adjudged the winners.
The next preliminary will be held on Tuesday, September 29, between the Lester Vaughan and the Grantley Adams Memorial Schools.