third invitational secondary schools debate tournament.

Rachael Barritt and Michelle Correia walked away from the event, held at the Bermuda College on Saturday, with the Victoria Cox Memorial Trophy presented by Mrs. Cox's widower, United Bermuda Party MP Mr. William Cox.

The 17-year-olds competed against 13 other teams from seven secondary schools including Berkeley Institute, Bermuda High, Mount St. Agnes Academy, Warwick Academy, Warwick Secondary, and Whitney.

There were three rounds of debate and a final between the two teams who scored highest in the first three rounds.

In the first two rounds each team was required to debate for and against the resolution "This House deplores the media's distortion of political issues''.

In the impromptu third round, where students were only given the topic 90 minutes before they debated it, the resolution was "Resolved that population controls should be established''.

More than 50 people volunteered as judges for the first three rounds. BJSL spokeswoman Ms Sue Bartlett said they noted the debating skills of the students -- ranging in age from 12 to 17 years -- had improved over the past year.

The final debate, which took place before a large audience, saw Miss Barritt and Miss Correia against the Warwick Academy's Gina Bassett and Chen Foley.

Judges for the final were Governor Lord Waddington, Finance Minister the Hon.

David Saul, Shadow Education Minister Miss Jennifer Smith, Bermuda Debate Society representative Ms Elizabeth Virgo, and Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs.

Wade.

"Both teams put forward an excellent debate and after a very close decision the overall winner was the Saltus team,'' Ms Bartlett said.

Lord Waddington presented the first, second, third, fourth and fifth place individual winner trophies to Michelle Correia, Chen Foley, Samantha DeCouto of Bermuda High, Gina Bassett, and Charles Sousa of Mount St. Agnes, respectively. He also presented the two team trophies.

Miss Correia also received the Victoria Cox Memorial Plate from Dr. Charles Dyer.

The plate was donated by four students -- Alison Dyer, Michael Pearman, Colm Singleton, and Carolyn Thomas -- who made up the first National Debate Team which competed in Scotland last year.

The Bermuda Debate Society has invited the top five individual winners along with Miss Barritt, Selina Mello of Mount St. Agnes, and Tarik Smith of Saltus, to train for the team which will travel to Medicine Hat, Calgary in January for the World Schools Debate Championship.