This year's junior debate team is raring to compete in the Junior Debating competition, which takes place next month at the Botanical Gardens.

This year's event is being cosponsored by the law firm Cox Hallet & Wilkinson (CH&W) and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

CH&W Legal Administrator Thomas Terrell said that through debating, the Island's students will learn to challenge themselves.

"There are many opportunities for our Bermudian students to pursue careers in the field of law and local and international business," said Mr. Terrell.

"We are committed to providing our students the opportunity to challenge themselves to pursue a successful educational career now, that will now lead them to similar successes as the enter Bermuda's employment market when they have completed their education."

The topics for this year's annual Junior Debate Competition are: `This house would allow mega cruise ships to come to Bermuda' and `This house believes the fishing industry should be given top priority to develop our economy'.

Junior Debate Competition coordinator Marissa Sharpe said this is a major event for the Consumer Affairs Department and organising it has been difficult work.

"(But) with last year's event under our belt we have managed to work out a lot of the kinks," said Ms Sharpe.

"We are very fortunate to have Southampton Glebe headmaster Gladstone Thompson, who has been busy training the young debaters since April, return as debate coach."

Ms Sharpe also explained that they also have their own website, which was developed by public relations chair Rhonda Daniels.

Ms Sharpe said over the summer the students have been involved in numerous activities and said: "They do not believe in all work and no play."

Mr. Thompson has been the tutor for two years for all the students who are in the Junior Debate Team.

He said he meets with the 30 to 40 students once a week for 60 to 70 minutes at a time.

"It's a variety of schools and a maximum of three students from each school," said Mr. Thompson, who said it has been quite rewarding.

"We try to balance out the ages and we have six groups."

He said the entire project could not work without the help of parents and teachers who are also involved in the success of the project.

One of the parents of two students who are taking part is Diane Hill and she said it was so much fun for her son Archer that last year she decided that she would get her daughter involved.

"I think it was a good experience and he had a great time so I thought I would get my daughter Fredrika involved to help bring out her personality," said Mrs. Hill.

Fredrika, 10, told The Royal Gazette: "My brother was involved last year and he was very good at it.

"I am not sure if I will win thought, but yea, I want to win."

Another contestant Tiaaz Sharpe, 12, who is entering for the second year in a row said he was looking forward to competing again.

"I won in the individual section, but I am not sure where my group came in," said the Mount Saint Agnes student.

"It's been fun. we have been on the Wild Cat this summer and we are having a party soon.

"We also went on the Mega Cruise Ship that was here and I have met a lot of new kids from different schools."

The web address is www.juniordebate.gov.bm and it takes place between October 17-19.