Telecommunications full service provider LIME has teamed up with the Ministry of Education and the Lions Club South for another year as sponsors of the Secondary Schools’ Public Speaking competition.{{more}}

This year marks 23 years of sponsorship from LIME/Cable and Wireless of this prestigious event. The event now forms part of the National Independence celebrations.

Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Fitzgerald Huggins restated LIME’s commitment to educational development, and in particular to the long term sponsorship of Schools’ Public Speaking. “Schools’ Public Speaking competition has become an important event on LIME’s calendar. We recognize the significant role this event plays in preparing our students to embrace the challenges of the future. We continue to invest heavily in Education and the youth through our sponsorship of the Internet Summer School, CXC/CSEC awards, and offering four scholarships every year. Over the last twenty three years, we have spent over $475,000 in sponsoring this event. We recognize that these students need internet access to do their research, and we are doing our part to equip them with the necessary tools to do so. We have launched the Next Generation Network that will give universal internet access to every LIME fixed line customer. We are presently outfitting all learning institutions throughout SVG with wireless internet access through the Universal Service Fund (USF)”, said Huggins.

Lions Tamer Junior Bacchus complimented LIME for staying the course, even in these tough economic times, and commented: “The topics for this year’s debate are current and speak to the issues that affect us today. LIME has raised the stakes, and each finalist will be well rewarded. I am urging all students to do their research thoroughly since each finalist stands to win a LIME “Fliptop” computer,” said Bacchus.

Twenty six secondary schools, divided into four zones, will compete in four preliminary rounds for six final places. In the preliminary rounds, the schools will debate topics about the role of the church in our society, effectiveness of the net books in our educational system, impact of natural disasters on the community, and the killing of Osama Bin Laden. The preliminary rounds will be contested in Kingstown, Bequia, North Union and Barrouallie. The Finals will take place on October 21 at the Methodist Church Hall.

LIME will reward each finalist with its “Fliptops” laptops and Internet service.