NIA CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS (March 11, 2026) – Team Nevis is preparing to participate in the 54th Leeward Islands Debating Competition (LIDC 54), which will be hosted in Nevis from March 12 to 15, 2026.
The annual competition showcases the very best of youth talent, critical thinking, and eloquence from across the region. This year, Nevis will compete against its debating peers from St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Maarten, Montserrat, and Anguilla.
The Nevis Literary and Debating Society recently announced the slate of debaters representing Nevis for this year’s competition. The team comprises Nevis Sixth Form College students Kiara Barry, Rajaun Fyfield, Keyana Warner, Shirmia Thompson, Kijari Huggins, and Tahleya Phillip.
LIDC 54 will commence on Thursday, March 12 with a press conference at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park featuring representatives, staff, sponsors, and debaters at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park, followed by the opening ceremony later that evening.
The competition will be held at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC). The first debate will see St. Kitts face off against Montserrat on the moot: “US deportation policies are a major catalyst for crime in the Caribbean.”
On Friday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m., St. Maarten will debate Anguilla on the moot: “Ministerial interference in the public sector undermines good governance in the Caribbean.”
The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, March 14 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The winner of the first debate will take on Antigua to argue whether the reliance on tourism in the Caribbean region undermines sustainable development, and Nevis will face the winner of the second debate on the moot: “Regional integration should be prioritized over global alliances.”
The finals will take place on Sunday, March 15 at 5:00 p.m., when the winners of the semi-final debates will argue whether Caribbean governments should provide free tertiary education to citizens up to the undergraduate degree level.
Nevis last captured the LIDC title in 2024 when the competition was held in St. Kitts.
The Nevis Literary and Debating Society is encouraging the public to go out and support the participating teams during the prestigious regional event.
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