National Fisheries Authority VS National Environment and Planning Agency

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-31

[00:05:49]Mhm.

[00:07:44]>> Mhm.

[00:09:39]>> Mhm.

[00:11:11]>> Good morning and a very special welcome to the octo finals of the public sector debate competition. I'm Aniki Clark, communication lead here in the TIU and I'm so pleased to be your host for this match.

[00:11:24]So today we will continue to witness the clash of ideas, arguments as team vie to be crowned 2026 public sector debating champions.

[00:11:36]We are delighted to have you with us and equally thrilled to welcome those of you who are joining us online from near and far to share in this very exciting competition.

[00:11:47]The preliminary rounds concluded just under 2 weeks ago with 32 teams battling for a place among the top 16. Today, the 16 outstanding teams who emerged from those spirited encounters return to compete in the octafinals, each hoping to secure a coveted spot in the quarterfinals, which will take place on June 10.

[00:12:14]Now, getting us started this morning, we have a very interesting moods before us.

[00:12:20]And before we do so though, we'd like to thank the 16 departing teams from the preliminary rounds. They were sure that your exit at this point is not an indication of your interest in the competition as I'm sure many of you will still drop in online or here at our offices to catch up on the matches. But this morning, we have two very proud teams, I'm sure. Give them a round of applause.

[00:12:50]>> [applause and cheering] >> They're out with their cheering parties.

[00:12:54]We have in proposition the National Fisheries Authority and in opposition the National Environment and Planning Agency.

[00:13:09]Excitement, excitement. They will be debating the moods, be it resolved that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive resort model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector.

[00:13:24]Be it resolved that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive resort model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector.

[00:13:34]That's a point that has been on the table for some times sometime and I look forward to hearing the arguments in favor and against. So let's get to meet the teams who will be debating the mood starting with team proposition the National Fisheries Authority.

[00:13:53]>> Good morning everybody I'm Anastasia Samuels first speaker for the NFA.

[00:13:58]>> Good morning Kerone Brown second speaker team NFA.

[00:14:03]>> Good morning my name is Kemisha Harrison Plummer and I am the third speaker for team NFA.

[00:14:09]>> Let's let's clap them let's make them feel welcome.

[00:14:13]>> [applause] >> Let's now get to meet team opposition the National Environment and Planning Agency NEPA.

[00:14:21]>> Good morning my name is Sabrina Audubon.

[00:14:23]I'm the first speaker for team NEPA.

[00:14:27]>> Good morning Camille Douglas Stevenson and I'm the second speaker for team opposition NEPA.

[00:14:33]>> Good morning I am Kayla Smith. I'm third speaker for team NEPA.

[00:14:38]>> Let's make team NEPA welcome as well.

[00:14:44]Now that the teams have introduced themselves it's time to hear from our judges who have been with us from the start of this competition from the Jamaican Association for debating and empowerment did.

[00:14:58]>> Good morning teams congratulations on making it to the top 16. I am Ramon Thomas Matthews and I'll be your chair judge for today.

[00:15:08]>> Good morning everyone my name is the Cordial Nelson serving as a wing similar sentiments congratulations on making it to the octafinals and all the best today.

[00:15:19]>> Good morning everyone my name is Shantal Hughes. I'm serving as a wing adjudicator today and best of luck to both teams.

[00:15:26]>> Thank you, judges. You're all so nice this morning. I guess a little break, you know, has injected some warmth, which we can always do with. Um the teams are rearing to go, I'm sure. They've put in the hard work.

[00:15:40]They're now at the octafinals and this round is a very interesting round because it is this round that will determine the teams that go forward to the quarterfinals.

[00:15:51]At this point, I will take my leave of you and hand over to chair adjudicator Ravon to marshal the match. Good luck, teams.

[00:16:00]>> [applause] >> All right, teams. I'm sure you all know that at this point in time is a knockout competition. That means that you're only as good as your last debate in this competition going forward. So, no pressure.

[00:16:18]>> [laughter] >> All right. So, of course, the debate is going to be governed by the JADE parliamentary debate format that will see first speakers from each team presenting for 7 minutes. Second speakers, you'll have 6 minutes to present your case. And then, the third and final speakers from each team, you'll have 5 minutes.

[00:16:35]Between the first sets of speakers, we'll have one period of cross-examination. And then, between the second and third sets of speaker, we're going to have another period of cross-examination. And I'll tell you a little bit more about the cross when we get to that part of the debate. Also, very important to note is that there are opportunities for you to interject into the first and second speeches. We call them points of information. So, after the first minute, you're going to hear a bell ding once. It sounds like Yes, that means that you're exited your first period of protected time and points of information can be fielded to you. When you're in your last minute of protected time, you're going to hear the bell ding once more. That means that no more points of information are allowed and you have 1 minute to really bring forward that winning argument. At the end of your completed allocated time, you're going to hear the building twice.

[00:17:25]That means that you've used up all of the time that I just described to you earlier, but we're going to give you 15 seconds so that you can, you know, kind of wrap up that thought that you're in the middle of.

[00:17:35]After that, however, you're going to hear the building continuously. That means that the judges are no longer listening and you should yield the floor.

[00:17:43]And so, ladies and gentlemen, with the rules out of the way, the moot for this very first match in the octafinals reads, "Be it resolved that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive resort model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector."

[00:18:00]We invite the first speaker from the National Fisheries Authority to take the stage. Please make welcome Ms. Nastacian Samuels. [applause and cheering] >> Mr. Speaker, judges, my most worthy opponents, teammates, good morning.

[00:18:40]Imagine a tourist spending an entire week in Jamaica only to contribute to a foreign-owned resort than to the Jamaican people.

[00:18:52]Is this the sustainable development we want for our country?

[00:18:56]I would want to believe that is economic isolation disguised as tourism.

[00:19:04]The all-inclusive resort model currently centralizes wealth within the resorts, while our local communities, vendors, farmers, entertainers, and small businesses receives only bits and pieces of the tourism revenue.

[00:19:21]Today, my teammates and I strongly affirm the moot, be it resolved that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive resort model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector.

[00:19:35]Mr. Speaker, let me explain some of our key definitions thoroughly.

[00:19:40]An all-inclusive resort model, according to the Sandals Resort, is a vacation pricing structure where guests pay a single upfront fee covering lodging, unlimited food, drinks, daily activities, and on-site entertainment.

[00:19:57]The local integrated tourism sector is an economic model in which the travel and the tourism industry maintains strong connection with the surrounding community.

[00:20:08]Rather than functioning as isolated resorts, this sector prioritizes local sourcing of goods, job creation, and the promotion of authentic culture, thereby ensuring that financial benefits are retained within the local economy.

[00:20:25]Move away from, suggests according to ludwig.guru, means to shift focus, strategy, or even physical location to a different direction or area.

[00:20:38]Mr. Speaker, our argument is built on three claims, which are as follows. One, the local integrated tourism sector creates wider and more equitable economic opportunities for all stakeholders within the industry. Two, the all-inclusive model packages Jamaican culture as entertainment, while integrated tourism allows visitors to experience Jamaican authentically.

[00:21:04]And three, a local integrated tourism sector promotes more sustainable national development by strengthening local industries, communities, and long-term economic resilience.

[00:21:17]My worthy opponents, firstly, integrated tourism strengthens economic linkages across Jamaica by connecting tourism directly to agriculture, fisheries, transportation, entertainment, and small business.

[00:21:33]Under the all-inclusive system, tourists may enter Jamaica, but their spending often never truly enters the Jamaican economy. Therefore, incorporating an integrated tourism model will strengthen the value chain and ensure that local communities benefit from the traveler and not just international corporations.

[00:21:56]Mr. Speaker, a myriad of countries are already utilizing integrated tourism model to either strengthen their local supply, improve their economy, infrastructure, and cultural experiences. And to just to name a few, we have Costa Rica, Morocco, Austria, and France.

[00:22:16]The opposition is defending a model that concentrates profits while limiting national participation.

[00:22:23]In 2023 alone, up to a third of tourists arriving in Jamaica used accommodations in the sharing economy more commonly associated with Airbnb.

[00:22:37]This, according to tourism minister Edmund Bartlett, is equivalent to 31% of the total visitors in that year alone.

[00:22:46]>> Point of information.

[00:22:47]>> Not [clears throat] at this time. Mr. Speaker, this percentage clearly shows that tourists want to experience the authentic Jamaican culture. And if I even should go further, the famous streamer IShowSpeed visited the island along with his over 50 million YouTube subscribers. Though he booked into an all-inclusive resort, it was evident that his visit was fullsome through the myriad of cultural activities, food, and interaction with the locals he experienced. Moreover, Zoe, a social media influencer who also visited the island, ensured her visit was no less.

[00:23:26]My opponents, the proposition team is not saying to eliminate the all-inclusive model, but rather to focus on what the massive wants, and that is to live the true Jamaican culture.

[00:23:39]Consequently, our sports and entertainment tourism, such as the annual Reggae Sumfest and Boys and Girls Championships, attracts foreigners from all over the world, thus boosting local spending power and keeping revenue within the country.

[00:23:54]Moreover, let's take a look at Treasure Beach. According to TPDCo, this was a fishing village, and rather than allowing of the all-inclusive corporate-owned companies to dominate, they have developed a mechanism to offer food, tours, and accommodation, allowing the revenue to stay within the community and providing wages through villas, guest houses, and authentic culinary experiences.

[00:24:20]They have now turned the hub for community-based tourism.

[00:24:24]Mr. Speaker, just last year, the state minister of tourism hinted that the most transformative aspect of the Jamaican tourism revolution is the impact of the Airbnb phenomenon.

[00:24:38]This has grown from 59,500 guests in 2017 to more than 800,000 guests in 2024, which generated more than $32 billion in earnings for property owners across the country.

[00:24:52]This, my most worthy opponent, is a sustainable national development. He further stated that the influx of tourists has led to increased demands for local products and services, benefiting farmers, artisans, and small business owners alike, thus strengthening local industries and communities.

[00:25:13]Mr. Speaker, tourism must no longer be an industry that Jamaica merely serve.

[00:25:18]It must become an industry from which Jamaicans meaningfully prosper.

[00:25:24]The question for us today is should tourism enrich Jamaica or merely operate within Jamaica? I thank you.

[00:25:34]>> [applause] >> And thank you very much. That was Nastacian Samuels from the National Fisheries Authority. To open the debate for team opposition, we invite their first speaker, Sabrina Herban.

[00:25:50]Hear, hear.

[00:25:52]>> [applause] >> Mr. Speaker, honorable adjudicators, opponents, good day.

[00:26:08]Picture in a grill.

[00:26:09]You're looking around and you see a couple.

[00:26:12]We know them as Steve and Margaret and they came from England.

[00:26:16]You see them snapping pictures like crazy trying to capture the perfect photo. We know they are saving for 2 years for this trip.

[00:26:24]They came to Jamaica to experience paradise.

[00:26:28]Security, convenience, and a predictable budget via the all-inclusive model.

[00:26:33]That is what they wanted. Proposition wants us to bundle up with things and walk away from the most profitable tourism model that exists.

[00:26:43]In this debate as first speaker, I will show that the all-inclusive model anchors the Jamaican tourism industry with three substantive arguments. We will show that this model does not need to be abandoned since departure does not mean better.

[00:27:00]Our second speaker will show arguments raised by proposition which will be rebutted using our Jamaica's first tourism employment framework.

[00:27:08]It calls for stronger community involvement that would preserve scale.

[00:27:12]It would provide jobs and foreign exchange for development.

[00:27:16]In closing the debate, our third speaker will identify the clashes and show how our position stands tall against the arguments raised by proposition.

[00:27:25]She will show our understanding and reiterate our position on the moot.

[00:27:30]Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Dictionary states that should means obligation.

[00:27:36]Moving away is a phrasal verb meaning go, leave, and depart.

[00:27:41]Proposition must prove that Jamaica is obligated to depart from the all-inclusive model that generates 4.3 billion USD in foreign exchange. That accounts for approximately 30% of the GDP of Jamaica.

[00:27:56]They must show this house using economic evidence and policy that departure would be better than what exists.

[00:28:04]We will show that they have not met this burden and we will show why.

[00:28:10]Our first argument, the all-inclusive model is a backbone of Jamaica's tourism economy.

[00:28:15]In 2025, Jamaica welcomed 3.7 million visitors. This occurred even though Hurricane Melissa passed through.

[00:28:24]4.09 billion USD per year in tourism earnings were generated according to the Jamaica Tourist Board.

[00:28:30]According to Wallace 2022 paper, the sector supports 175,000 direct jobs and 354,000 indirect jobs.

[00:28:40]That means one in every three Jamaicans depend on the sector.

[00:28:44]Large hotels like Hyatt, Rio, and Sandals, to name a few, bring the following: global marketing networks, foreign investment, capital, and international consumer trust.

[00:28:58]Small local hotels to date are unable to replicate this to the same scale.

[00:29:04]Data Intelo noted that in 2025, the all-inclusive resorts sector was valued at 67.4 billion USD.

[00:29:12]In 2034, it is projected to reach 134.8 billion.

[00:29:18]Global demand is rising. It actually is not falling. The Jamaican government recognizes this. In an interview with Trip Cash 360 media under the honorable Minister Bartlett's 8 by 10 by 5 initiative, Jamaica is eyeing 8 million tourists and 10 billion USD in earnings by 2030.

[00:29:38]This target would be on the shoulders of the all-inclusive model. According to the Gleener, in the first quarter of 2026, Jamaica arrivals topped 1 million visitors and earned 956 million USD.

[00:29:53]If Jamaica were to move away from this model, we would not be helping ourselves. Departure does not mean better.

[00:30:02]Our second argument, all-inclusive resorts provide mass employment for Jamaicans. Mr. Speaker, say hi to Sherian.

[00:30:10]She has been a housekeeper at Moon Palace Hotel for 4 years. Every morning, she wakes up before sunrise. She puts on her uniform. She ensures that Steve and Margaret have a tidy room during the length of their stay in paradise. She is one of the 175,000 workers who rely on this model for their income. She represents other workers as well, such as security officers, landscapers, maintenance workers, chefs, managers, entertainers, and providers of transportation.

[00:30:42]Security means a steady salary. Security means health insurance. Security means upward mobility.

[00:30:49]Security means a brighter future.

[00:30:53]Let's not forget the farmers who supply produce, the craft vendors who sell to the tourists, the construction workers who build.

[00:31:01]The Not at this time. The taxi operators that take tourists all over.

[00:31:07]Statistics published by the Jamaica Tourist Board in the Observer showed that hotels with less than 50 rooms recorded an occupancy rate of 27.6% For hotels over 100 rooms, they recorded an occupancy rate of 65.9%.

[00:31:25]According to Kundu's 2015 paper, the all-inclusive resorts accounted for a larger occupancy.

[00:31:32]To match the demand of 65.9 65.9% occupancy rate of all-inclusive hotels, approximately 10,800 smaller hotels would need to operate simultaneously.

[00:31:47]The evidence shows that small hotels are yet to reach these occupancy rates. The The proposition has not explained what will happen to Sherian in the interim.

[00:31:57]They have not explained how it can be done safely to minimize economic harm.

[00:32:02]Argument three.

[00:32:04]Tourists demand the all-inclusive product. Let's integrate without abandonment. Mr. Speaker, opposition is not afraid of integration. We welcome it. We reject the notion that we must outright abandon the all-inclusive model in favor of local tourism.

[00:32:21]Departure does not mean better.

[00:32:25]And back to our proposition's arguments.

[00:32:30]They talk about sustainable development does not exist with the all-inclusive.

[00:32:36]And that local integrated sector creates more opportunities.

[00:32:40]The all-inclusive creates more opportunities having employed 175,000 direct workers. In addition to that, you talk about package culture.

[00:32:49]The hotel already, the all-inclusive, already integrate the culture of package using our entertainers, our local entertainers, that the tourist actually love and has been mentioned in Vision 2030.

[00:33:02]Remember, departure may not actually be better.

[00:33:07]I thank you.

[00:33:11]>> Woo!

[00:33:12]>> [applause] >> And thank you very much, Sabrina Urbano, first speaker from team NEPA.

[00:33:21]Ladies and gentlemen, we are at that point in the debate that we call the cross-examination.

[00:33:26]This will see the teams posing questions to each other.

[00:33:30]Firstly, team NEPA will pose three questions to team National Fisheries Authority. Each question will be limited to 10 seconds, and each answer will be limited to 45 seconds. It's important to note that for the team that is asking the question, only one person on the team may do so at a time.

[00:33:48]However, for the team that is answering the question, the entire team can chime in to provide an answer to that question. After the three questions by NEPA have been asked and answered, we'll invite team National Fisheries Authorities to do the same. With the rules out of the way, we invite the first question from team NEPA.

[00:34:10]>> NFA, name one country that has successfully fully abandoned the all-inclusive tourism model and seen higher per capita tourism revenue, more jobs, and greater local retention than before.

[00:34:23]>> Thank you. Costa Rica is one. Costa Rica, actually, through the integrated tourism model, actually makes about 20 billion US dollars.

[00:34:33]And that is more than the 4 billion that your opposite that your first speaker just mentioned. So, just from that model they are making five times.

[00:34:44]>> Based on your response, NFA, you said an integrated tourism model. That still indicates that all-inclusive is still present. So, they have not completely gotten rid of it. Do you have another example?

[00:34:58]>> So, we're not saying that all-inclusive is to be abandoned forthwith. We are moving away from it. To say that the resorts are important, yes, but the all-inclusive model is what we are saying that we should move away from.

[00:35:22]>> Can the proposition explain how Jamaica would compete internationally in the same global tourism sector while simultaneously reducing integration with the global tourism systems by all-inclusive?

[00:35:35]>> Can you repeat that question?

[00:35:38]>> Can the proposition explain how Jamaica would compete internationally in the same global tourism sector while simultaneously reducing integration with the all-inclusive global tourism system?

[00:35:50]>> It is It is clear. I mean, Jamaica is a brand by itself. You don't need to go to an all-inclusive resort to want to experience Jamaica.

[00:36:02]>> And also, when you look at the Costa the Costa Rica example, name one Reggae is a brand that people all over the world come to try to to to to participate with. We have sports, we have culture, so many things that are truly Jamaican, our food. So, I mean, we stand more to benefit given the demand for our culture than to be locked away in the walls of an all-inclusive hotel.

[00:36:33]>> I show speed was here and his 50 million viewers saw Jamaica for what it really was.

[00:36:41]>> All right, thank you very much. We now invite the questions to be posed by team NFA.

[00:36:48]>> So our uh NEPA has spoke about the benefits in terms of the economy, but my question is how do you account for economic leakages?

[00:37:04]>> Leakages always exist in almost every globalized industry and the issue is not the existence of the tourism demand, it is the insufficient local supply integration and that is going to be tied more into a governance issue than simply the all-inclusive model itself.

[00:37:27]>> Can the opposition explain how local vendors, craft craft vendors, taxi operators, and small restaurants benefit when tourists when tourists already pay for nearly everything before arriving in Jamaica?

[00:37:48]>> Well, just so to clarify, if you look into Jamaica's very own Vision 2030 tourism sector plan, you will notice that what has been identified is actually creating and strengthening those stronger leak there are stronger linkages and in fact, majority of the all-inclusive resorts now actively incorporate local industry, local suppliers, and local entertainment every day on their hotel properties. In fact, Dunn's River itself primarily benefits from the tourism sector from those all-inclusive resort attendants.

[00:38:26]>> All right. So, your first speaker spoke to the fact that there is Or let me Can I rephrase this question?

[00:38:34]Given the fact that in 2024, there were over 10 protests from hotel workers about poor wages, poor working conditions, and long hours. How do you deal with that in >> Again, what we're looking at is a matter of governance. And Vision 2030 actually emphasized some of the ways that we could enhance those same systems and improve in those matters. Additionally, being a part of the global tourism network, the Rios, the Melias, all of those major chains, they are going to bring some of those structures in. And the tourism sector is improving on a daily basis.

[00:39:17]>> All right. Thank you very much for that first period of cross-examination. Can we give both teams a round of applause for that awesome engagement?

[00:39:25]>> [applause] >> All right, ladies and gentlemen. We now invite from the National Fisheries Authority, their second speaker. Please make welcome Keron Brown.

[00:39:48]>> [snorts] >> Honorable judges, esteemed opponents, those viewing in studio and online.

[00:39:59]The opposition would have you believe that Jamaica must remain remain dependent on the all-inclusive tourism model because it brings guest and guarantees cash. But our viewpoint is simple. It's not tourism that is the problem. It is our reliance on all-inclusive model. Jamaica should therefore shift away from the all-inclusive model since it concentrates wealth, undermines local engagements, and limits the long-term economic and cultural potential of our Jamaican citizens.

[00:40:33]Now, let me provide a three warrants to bolster our case. The local integrated tourism sector offers more equitable uh economic prospects.

[00:40:45]The integrated tourism preserves the authenticity of Jamaica, whereas the all-inclusive approach confines Jamaican culture. The integrated tourism in the region, notably sports tourism, contributes to more sustainable growth of the country. Let us speak about the economic opportunities.

[00:41:06]The issue with the all-inclusive model isn't that people comes to Jamaica. It is where the money goes once they get here. Research on Jamaica's tourism sector reveals that there is considerable leakage due to foreign ownership, international booking systems, imported food, and profit repatriation. It further emphasizes that more than 30% of tourism-related expenditure leaks back to the home country without circulating in Jamaica. This, according to the Ministry of Tourism Demand Study 2023.

[00:41:43]In an all-inclusive system, the tourist pays in advance for meals, entertainment activities within the hotel properties, which means less goes to the cab driver, less goes to the vendors of craft, less goes to our music and entertainment fraternity, and less goes to our farmers.

[00:42:02]The local integrated tourism, on the other hand, distributes tourism expenditure through communities and Jamaican-owned companies. The idea is straightforward. The more tourism dollar passes through the hands of Jamaicans, the more Jamaicans profit economically.

[00:42:22]Mr. Speaker, we are getting almost 4 billion or a little over 4 billion based on the opposition from tourism and truly that should be celebrated. Let us give them a round of applause. But let us also put this into perspective. The global tourist tourism sector is expand in the last 2025 contributed more than 11 trillion dollars to the worldwide economy. But the all but the all inclusive model accounts for just about 70 billion dollars internationally. And on that very same system which Jamaica relies heavily, less is coming from less.

[00:43:04]And we are saying that as Jamaicans, we should be getting more.

[00:43:09]Now, let us discuss our culture.

[00:43:11]Not only is beaches our number one attraction, our real number one attraction to Jamaica is our culture.

[00:43:20]The all inclusive resort tends to create what sociologists call a tourism bubble.

[00:43:26]Locations where visitors experience a manicured commercialized image of huge of what they perceive Jamaica is, but are cut off from real communities and so Jamaica becomes a brand and not an experience. I want to tell you, Mr. Speaker, that culture is lived, not experienced. In the present all inclusive model, reggae is nothing but background noise. Mr. Speaker, culture is best preserved when communities who practice it benefits from it, not when it is performed in a show behind the gates of hotels. Let us speak a little bit more about the sustainable national development. Mr. Speaker, Jamaica already possesses one of the world's most potent and underutilized brands, and that is sports tourism. We have Usain Bolt. We have Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. We have the world-renowned ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Athletics Championship. We have a strong schoolboy football culture worldwide.

[00:44:33]And now brands overseas are actually using brand Jamaica. Visitors spend when they come here to experience our brand on hotels. They come and they spend on restaurants, transportation, local entertainment, vendors, and all benefit from this integrated model. In fact, the Ministry of Tourism itself has already identified sports tourism as a key growth sector, thanks to Jamaica's global standing in athletics. This is important because unlike the all-inclusive approach, sports tourism spends spreads spending throughout communities.

[00:45:13]Visitors arriving for Champs, visitors arriving for football, they don't remain enclosed in hotels. They go to the Kingston, they go and eat locally, they pay for transit, they buy items, and they interact directly with Jamaicans.

[00:45:29]But sustainability is not only for sports, it is also about our agriculture. Many farmers already face delayed payments from the all-inclusive model, uneven contracts, and restricted access to hotel markets as per Vision 2030 Agriculture Sector Plan. But the all-you-can-eat buffet strategy that our opposition is promoting promotes over-preparation and food waste. A locally integrated tourism sector reinforces farm-to-table agriculture linkages. Sustainable tourism is not just about arrivals. It is about who benefits from tourism.

[00:46:08]Tourism should not only bring visitors to Jamaica. Tourism should build Jamaica. I rest my case.

[00:46:17]>> [applause] >> Thank you very much, Keron Brown. At this point in time, we invite from Team NEPA their second speaker. Please make welcome Camille Douglas Stephenson.

[00:46:30]>> [applause] >> Ladies and gentlemen, good day.

[00:46:40]Today, the proposition has failed to prove that Jamaica can safely move away from an all-inclusive tourism model. My first speaker has demonstrated that Jamaica's tourism challenge is a linkage problem, not a tourism model collapse.

[00:46:54]And establishing that reform reforming tourism integration is economically smarter than dismantling one of Jamaica's most important industries. I will dismantle the proposition's economic And secondly, I will also prove why our Jamaica first tourism empowerment net framework this delivers both tourism stability and greater Jamaican participation.

[00:47:22]Mr. Speaker, the proposition's case sounds emotionally attractive. They're talking about isolation, authentic Jamaican, keeping tourism dollars local.

[00:47:32]But debates are not won by slogans. They are won by asking one critical question, and they have not answered this. Can your model sustain the country? The simple answer is no.

[00:47:45]Because the proposition's entire case depends on this one dangerous assumption. Jamaica can weaken the all-inclusive tourism sector without weakening the tourism economy itself.

[00:47:56]Now, let us talk about the proposition mentioning Costa Rica, but let's us just clarify. Costa Rica is built on a different model. They're built on rainforest eco-tourism and a larger landmass and biodiversity structure. No, NEPA loves this, but Jamaica is a resort and a coastal tourism economy. It's a different tourism structure and to dismantle our structure to copy that makes no sound financial sense.

[00:48:25]Not at this time.

[00:48:27]The solution proposition is stronger integration around the tourism engine, not dismantling the engine itself. And now what completely destroys the proposition case is Jamaica's own Vision 2030 tourism sector plan.

[00:48:44]It proposed those linkages. It proposed wider local participation and greater Jamaican inputs, deepening community integration around an expanding tourism sector. In other words, the national development strategy supports opposition and not proposition.

[00:48:59]This is a proposition's biggest flaw.

[00:49:02]They want to present us with a false choice. Either we maintain the all-inclusive tourism or we support local participation, and we reject that entirely. Jamaica can preserve tourism competitiveness while expanding Jamaican ownership, local sourcing, SME participation, and community tourism at the same time.

[00:49:23]Now let's talk about one of their other points. Foreign ownership means Jamaica is losing, and this is where they become economically dangerous because they speak as though the foreign investment only extracts value. They are ignoring that the foreign investment brought the resort infrastructure, the international hotel networks, the global marketing systems. All of these increased the local employment, airlift support, and tourism expansion capacity, which we need.

[00:49:51]We compete directly against the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Those are our competitors. And the Dominican Republic did not become the Caribbean's tourism leader by abandoning our all-inclusive tourism sector.

[00:50:05]They became the strongest leader by scaling it. They have 10 million tourists, 900 thousand tourism jobs, over 20 million billion US tourism GDP contribution, and in just March 26th alone, they recorded 900 thousand tourists.

[00:50:24]That's not a failure. That is dominance proposition.

[00:50:30]The Dominican Republic has achieved this through aggressive foreign direct investment, international hotel partnerships, the airport expansion, and modernization of the all-inclusive sector itself. Rio, Melia, Iberostar, they expanded heavily throughout the tourism corridors like Punta Cana. And why? Because large-scale all-inclusive tourism allows higher occupancy, greater affordability through scale, stronger global marketing, and more consistent visitor flows.

[00:50:58]They modernized the model.

[00:51:00]Colleagues, while the proposition wants Jamaica to move away from the all-inclusive tourism, the global tourism industry is aggressively expanding it. In fact, market forecast projected the all-inclusive resort sector growing from approximately US $67 billion in 2025 to nearly 135 US billion dollars in 2034.

[00:51:23]That's what you want to weaken?

[00:51:26]The opposition proposes today Jamaica's first tourism empowerment framework. Not abandonment, but the integration and the scale, similar to the Dominican Republic. We preserve the all-inclusive sector as Jamaica's economic engine of tourism while progressively expanding Jamaican participation around it. 30% local procurement by year three, 50% by year six, and penalties for the non-compliance building stronger over time.

[00:51:54]The hotels are going to produce more locally. They're going to tie in the local farmers. They're going to increase that supply chain and build, and we won't destroy the the current tourism sector in order to achieve this. More community excursions will become certified. More Jamaican businesses will experience benefits of the tourism economy. That's what those linkages meant.

[00:52:19]Mr. Speaker, unlike the proposition, our framework is grounded in that scaling.

[00:52:25]The proposition never proved that transition happens safely, competitively, or realistically today.

[00:52:32]The difference between us and the proposition is a transformation and not the disruption. Mr. Speaker, the proposition offers economic experimentation, and Jamaica cannot afford that. If you fail proposition, Jamaica will fail.

[00:52:50]The opposition strengthens the engine while ensuring Jamaica benefits from its success.

[00:52:56]And balanced reform will always defeat the reckless restructuring you've proposed. I rest the case.

[00:53:03]>> Woo!

[00:53:05]>> [applause] >> And thank you very much.

[00:53:12]Ladies and gentlemen, we're now in the second period of cross-examination.

[00:53:17]The rules are largely the same, except this time we'll invite team proposition to pose their questions first.

[00:53:27]>> Okay. Um question.

[00:53:31]Apart from the location, what is the difference between an all-inclusive Rio hotel in Jamaica as compared to the same brand hotel in Mexico.

[00:53:44]>> In Mexico, if they're tied into a global hotel chain, the offerings are similar.

[00:53:51]In fact, if you are someone who frequently stays at a resort such as Rio, you become a part of their partnership program. Everywhere you go, you can tap into the discounts. You can actually transfer your movements from one in from one country to another industry. That is the linkage that these hotel chains offer.

[00:54:08]>> But yes, people come here for the culture. That is why Jamaican Jamaican stays are actually priced higher than some of the rest in the region because people are coming for the culture that apparently doesn't exist in all-inclusive hotels.

[00:54:30]>> If tourists increasingly seek authentic cultural experience, why should Jamaica continue prioritizing a model that often keeps visitors isolated behind resort walls?

[00:54:41]>> Well, we've already proven they're not isolated. They're going on excursions.

[00:54:45]They're going on rafting, boating exercises. They're going to Dunns River Falls. They're going to Margaritaville.

[00:54:52]They're going to all of these places outside of the hotel. That's the linkages that have been proposed and that are actively being done in the hotel industry we have today.

[00:55:04]>> In addition to that, I'd like to remind the opposition, when you look at Dunns River for example, 1 million visitors this year alone.

[00:55:18]>> Okay, so you spoke about a couple. The couple that you spoke about only stayed within the resort within the resort.

[00:55:26]Tell me, how can convenience for tourists benefit the Jamaican economy?

[00:55:32]>> Well, even if an elderly couple decides to stay on a resort then only, There are craft vendors that are brought in from outside. They have exclusive contracts with the hotels. You have entertainers that are Jamaicans that come in and they do Pana Riddim, they do their their pantomimes, they do dances, they show them all the recent dancehall dances.

[00:55:51]So, yes, there is a Jamaican linkage there. The culture is there.

[00:55:55]>> One of the most exciting times on an all-inclusive resort is actually around our Independence Day celebrations.

[00:56:01]Hotels actively bring in a version of Grand Market for these tourists to experience and it is highly successful.

[00:56:13]>> All right, thank you very much. We now invite the three questions from team NEPA.

[00:56:38]>> Do you agree that most international airlines sign multi-year contracts with all-inclusive resorts to guarantee seat occupancy? If we get rid of all-inclusives or reduce that, how are we guaranteeing these tourists visiting Jamaica?

[00:56:52]>> Beautiful question. One of the things that we see happening is that especially when you look at the Ministry of Tourism, the model of Jamaica that they promote is the all-inclusive model. When we begin to integrate other components, our Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, when we integrate our other eco-tourism, gastronomy, these are all things too that are when you look at what is promoted on NBC and CBS and Fox, you are not seeing the real authentic Jamaica. And so, if we begin to promote that model and begin to showcase the full Jamaica, then I am sure that persons who live in the in Europe who travel the backpackers, they will come here. Persons who are interested in eco-tourism, in medicinal or wellness tourism, we are missing out largely on those persons as well.

[00:57:43]>> And that is time.

[00:57:50]Go ahead.

[00:57:51]>> Mhm.

[00:57:52]>> Okay.

[00:57:53]>> Let's talk about scale and feasibility.

[00:57:56]Last year Jamaica had 4.1 million stopover visitors. How many community guest house beds or alternate solutions would be needed to replace the all-inclusive rooms currently?

[00:58:09]While we don't have the numbers, what we can say is that the Airbnb industry is booming. I live in a community where every day I see tourists. The point is not that we are saying away with resorts. We're not saying that. We're saying moving away from all-inclusive resorts. Currently, even on the the the north coast, we still have a lot of villas. We have hotels. They're just not all-inclusive, and that is what we're saying.

[00:58:39]>> For example, the S Hotel utilizes not the all-inclusive model. And also, when you also look at the systems that are in place for Jamaica, we have TP Deco, we have SDC, we have Tourism Enhancement Fund, we have UDC, we have IDB. So many other networks that we can actually tap into to build on the >> Oh.

[00:59:00]>> [laughter] >> Okay, so we have proven that the all-inclusive model employs thousands of Jamaicans. During your transition period, where are these Jamaicans being employed? In the Airbnb that only use one housekeeper on rotation basis?

[00:59:19]The first thing is we have an we have an a perfect example in Catadupa in Annotto Bay, before the train stopped running, tourists used to stop there. All of those persons were gainfully occupied because they they they presented wears, they they they did dressmaking, a lot of stuff for the tourists. And when that was cut off, the economy of Catadupa was destroyed. When you go there now, it is just another community. But back then, it employed a lot of persons. So, whilst we don't have numbers right now because it is a growing It is a growing industry, we see that it is very important and it can employ more than what the all-inclusive resorts. And I'm not sure >> All right. And ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the second period of cross-examination. A round of applause to those to these teams.

[01:00:18]>> [applause] >> Now, we have two remaining speeches in the debate. We call them the reply speeches. These two speakers are going to do everything in their power to convince the panel of adjudicators that their team has won this debate. To aid them in that quest, we're going to give you a 1-minute preparation time to conclude those reply speeches, after which we'll invite the opposition reply speaker, followed by the reply speaker from the proposition. Your 1-minute break starts now.

[01:02:01]>> All right.

[01:02:02]Infolease and gentlemen, we invite the final speaker from team NEPA. Please make welcome Kayla Smith.

[01:02:13]>> [applause] >> Mr. Speaker, I rise as reply speaker to explain why this debate belongs to opposition. This has been a clash between economic romance and economic reality. The proposition offered a dream, the opposition offered a road map. On every decisive clash, the evidence says yes to the opposition. My first speaker proved that the all-inclusive model is the backbone of Jamaica's tourism economy. In 2024 alone, it generated over US 4.3 billion in earnings and supported thousands of Jamaican jobs. Proposition wants us to abandon that. My second speaker showed that the global tourism industry is moving towards an all-inclusive, not away from it. The sector is projected to grow from US 67 billion in 2025 to nearly 135 billion in 2034. Today, I will identify and weigh the decisive clashes of this debate and expose the failure of team proposition's arguments.

[01:03:17]Let me be clear, the proposition had one job, to prove that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive model, not reform it, not improve linkages, move away. They failed to do so.

[01:03:29]Clash one, reform versus abandonment.

[01:03:31]Jamaica's own Vision 2030 Tourism Sector Plan does not recommend moving away from all-inclusive tourism. It recommends stronger local procurement, SME integration, wider community tourism development, and gradual localization built around an expanding tourism sector. Jamaica's National Development Strategy supports the opposition, not proposition. The proposition presented a false choice, all-inclusive tourism versus local integration. The opposition say local integration exists in the all-inclusive model and provided the framework to maximize the efficiency.

[01:04:05]Proposition believe that the tourists are trapped in all-inclusive resorts. If tourists were truly trapped, Dunns River Falls would not receive nearly 1 million visitors annually. Trapped? I think not.

[01:04:16]Perhaps the little authentic local experiences proposition raised are those that lack the necessary structure and quality. Point for opposition. Clash two, revenue versus leakages. The proposition identified a real challenge with Jamaica's tourism model, but they offered the wrong solution. They said the revenue generated from foreign-owned all-inclusive hotels do not benefit the Jamaican communities or economy.

[01:04:39]Leakages exist in every global industry.

[01:04:41]However, the solution is policy-based.

[01:04:43]Local sourcing money is tax reform and supply chain development. Our framework is the right solution. Even a discounted net figure dwarfs any realistic exclusive community tourism projection.

[01:04:55]We do not dismantle the all-inclusive model and threaten the local tourism economy. The proposition brought a wrecking ball to a job that needed a wrench. Opposition proved that the sector currently supports 549,000 jobs, hotel staff, farmers who supply produce, craft vendors who sell to the tourists, construction workers, and taxi operators. I guess property proposition is saying that these persons aren't Jamaicans. Our framework also proposed enforceable targets for improvement of integration. 30% local procurement by year three, 50 by year six with penalties for non-compliance. It builds Jamaican ownership over time without destabilizing the industry that feeds thousands of Jamaican families today.

[01:05:38]Point for opposition. Clash three, authentic is not at all inclusive resorts. Proposition claim that all inclusive resorts present Jamaica as only entertainment and only locally integrated tourism is authentic. Is it entertainment or palatable curated sample of Jamaican culture? The truck tourists visit Dunns River, Chukka Adventures, Margaritaville. Even IShowSpeed had a curated Jamaican experience. Pop-up cooking and sampling, a dancehall concert, reggae singalong thanks to Jamaica Tourist Board and their partners. Opposition is proposing structure and security. That is what tourists want. Opposition proposed a model that improves these local experiences and presents the quality that tourists want. More community excursions become certified. More Jamaican culture, cuisine, entertainment, and wellness products enter the tourism economy. Point for opposition. Mr. Speaker, the opposition agrees with the proposition on one thing. Jamaica needs stronger local integration, reduced leakages, and more Jamaican ownership of its tourism economy. What is in dispute is how. They say abandon the engine. We say strengthen the engine while building more Jamaican participation. They romanticize the small operator but could not scale it. We said grow the small operator with a stable tourism economy.

[01:06:55]They painted foreign investment as the enemy but could not replace it. We said use foreign investment as a tool while building Jamaica. On every decisive clash, the evidence chose the opposition. When the future of Jamaica's economy depends on stability, jobs, and sustainable growth, balanced reform will always defeat reckless restructuring.

[01:07:16]For all these reasons, the opposition proudly and firmly rejects the motion.

[01:07:21]Thank you.

[01:07:23]>> [applause] [applause] >> And that was Keela Smith, ladies and gentlemen. Finally, to conclude this debate, we invite the final speaker from the National Fisheries Authority. Please make welcome Kamesha Harrison-Plummer.

[01:07:45]>> [applause] >> A rising tide should lift all boats, not just the odds. Honorable judges, my opponents, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

[01:08:11]As the third speaker for the proposition, my task is simple. Explore expose the flaws in the opposition's arguments, and reaffirm why Jamaica must move away from the all-inclusive model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector. Throughout this debate, the proposition has demonstrated the undisputable truth.

[01:08:35]Jamaica cannot truly thrive when tourists have never experienced Jamaica outside of the walls of all-inclusive resorts. Mr. Speaker, we are not arguing against tourism or resorts, but proposing a better model of tourism. One that is sustainable, comprehensively inclusive, authentic, and empowers national building.

[01:09:05]Today, the opposition attempted to defend the all-inclusive model by pointing out convenience, jobs, and investment. What the opposition has defended is that of a fancy prison or a one-way bus with no stop. Just jump on the bus quick, lock the door tight tight, and straight to the all-inclusive resort. We are touristy Jamaica through hotel windows while authentic Jamaican life, culture, and sustainable national development get left by the roadside.

[01:09:40]Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that there is no difference between a real in Jamaica versus that of Mexico. What the opposition failed to understand is that the demand of global tourism is changing as modern travelers are seeking adventurous, authentic, local experiences.

[01:10:04]And that is where local integrated tourism fill the gap, and it makes Jamaica unique.

[01:10:15]At the heart of this debate is the burning question, "Who should truly benefit from Jamaica's tourism industry?"

[01:10:24]The answer is simple, Jamaicans, whether black, white, brown, or mixed, not the tourists. My opponent spoke about the the the couple.

[01:10:35]Why should convenience Why should convenience leave our farmers behind? Why? Convenience for tourists should not be an excuse to prevent the ordinary Jamaican from their own tourism economy. My opponents, that is not tourism integration, that is simply tourism seg- segregation.

[01:11:01]Our first speaker has laid the foundation and clearly established the economic opportunities should not only be possible through employment at all-inclusive resorts, but by being owners of Airbnb or talent sharing to give visitors a Jamaican experience. She has proven that integrated tourism has been tried and proven in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Our second speaker has completely neutralized the opposition's argument by demonstrating that a country that has an inclusive integrated tourism and encourages better economic realities for the ordinary for the ordinary citizens. And this, Mr. Speaker, is what real national development looks like. My opponent's economic growth mean little when there economic leakages and our local communities and natural resources remain underdeveloped.

[01:11:57]What does a billion-dollar industry mean if not beneficial to the ordinary Jamaican outside of a job at an all-inclusive resort?

[01:12:06]Employment created by all-inclusive resorts are seasonal and largely low-paying, leaving Jamaicans as workers rather than owners.

[01:12:16]The opposition essentially argues that Jamaica that tourists should just come to our all-inclusive resorts and have a jolly good time. But they fail to understand that the 1 million visitors to Dunn's River is not only from all-inclusive resorts.

[01:12:32]Finally, it ultimately comes down to the better approach. Opposition approach keep tourism concentrated in isolated locations. The proposition approach opens tourism to our natural assets and local communities. The opposition protects a model that limit the involvement of the local. The proposition champions a model that empowers Jamaicans. The opposition backs economic concentration. The proposition fight for better distribution. I thank you.

[01:13:17]Let's have it one more time for the teams.

[01:13:24]>> [applause] >> They certainly did well. The research was evident. The The delivery top notch. Well done teams. Um Well, let me not get into it. It is for the judges to decide um the winner of this match. Uh they will take a break at this point, 15 minutes or so uh to deliberate.

[01:13:51]The teams did well. We wish them all the best. And remember the judges decision is final. It's kind of, you know, heartbreaking when you see two quality teams battling it out at this stage, but one has to go. And it's based on the judges decision. An unenviable task.

[01:14:10]>> [gasps] >> But well done teams. You've made it this far. And we will hear in a few minutes.

[01:14:16]For those of you online, just grab something and come back. And you will hear the results when uh chair adjudicator returns and sums up the match and announce the winner.

[01:14:30]>> [applause] >> Refreshments.

[01:16:44]>> Mhm.

[01:18:39]>> Mhm.

[01:22:29]>> Mhm.

[01:28:14]>> Mhm.

[01:30:09]>> Mhm.

[01:32:04]>> Mhm.

[01:33:59]>> Mhm.

[01:35:54]>> Mhm.

[01:37:49]>> Mhm.

[01:39:44]>> Mhm.

[01:41:39]>> Mhm.

[01:45:29]>> Mhm.

[01:45:52]>> All right, ladies and gentlemen, we just concluded the first match in the after finals of the fifth season of the public sector debate competition for 2026.

[01:46:03]This is, as I indicated earlier, knockout round. That means that despite strong performances from both teams, one of them will be waving goodbye to the competition and the other one will be moving on to the quarterfinals to stand amongst the top eight in this competition. Let us read the moot once more. Be it resolved that Jamaica should move away from the all-inclusive resort model in favor of a more locally integrated tourism sector. So, what did we understand from this debate? What we understand from this debate, coming out first from the National Fisheries Authority, that, well, quite frankly, what is happening is that the local tourism sector is not getting the maximum amount of value that it can get from the tourism industry on a whole. We hear from Nastacian that, quite frankly, if we were to go forward with a local tourism first kind of model, that this will do a few things. It She tells us that what it's going to do is strengthen the value chain. She tells us that in as much as Airbnbs are growing to a great extent and are taking up a more increasingly and significant portion of tourism visits to Jamaica, that means that it is an indication that individuals want that authentic cultural experience. We kind of see the correlation between that. We wanted to understand a little bit more of the causation. Like if it's intuitive that individuals are abandoning the all-inclusive, they come to an Airbnb so that they can get the culture. It's possible, but there can be a lot of other reasons why they're coming to the Airbnbs. What if the Airbnbs are just cheaper? What if the all-inclusive is not in a location that they want to be at? What if they have family in different places close to these Airbnbs?

[01:47:48]And so while we credit to you to some extent this idea that the reason for the rise and uptick in Airbnb accommodation has a part to do with the want and the desire for that authentic cultural experience. We wanted to hear to a much greater extent the causation behind that, and we never got that to a great extent. Again, we also wanted to understand why is it that they want to experience the culture? We heard a little bit about that in the cross-examination.

[01:48:17]We understood that there are individuals who, you know, backpack through Europe, and that kind of thing. And those are the kind of authentic cultural experiences that people want. Now, we think that that kind of analysis and argument is something that needs to come early and needs to come comprehensively.

[01:48:34]We need to understand and it needs to be completely clear to the judges how the individual has shifted their mindset from the all-inclusive, come on, relax on the beach, and turn off your brain to that kind of desire for that authentic cultural experience. We see that uptick happening in society. We wanted to hear a lot more about that, and that would have severely bolstered your case. But nevertheless, we credit it to a great extent. What then do we hear from the team in opposition? We hear coming out from the first speaker in opposition, that is Sabrina Urban, on this idea that well, the the big tourism hotels, they do something that others cannot do. They bring capital, trust, and they bring funding. And she tells us that small hotels can't do this. Now, we wanted to hear a little bit more of a from you that kind of mechanization.

[01:49:28]Right? It's not sufficient to just tell us that they bring capital, they bring to they bring trust, and they bring funding and leave it there. We want to know how that works and why that's important. We got a lot of that coming down later on in the debate, particularly coming out from second in the cross and third. But we think at this stage in the uh your speech, we wanted to hear a lot more. Again, this idea that in the in the tourism sector, these big hotels we get stable salaries and health insurance and the possibility of mobility. These are big and interesting ideas that were mechanized to a greater extent coming down later on in the debate. And we wanted to hear from the moment the idea's introduced, what about a hotel benefits the individuals working in that hotel such that their stable salary and health insurance is greater. And that's particularly important when we get that contention coming out from opposition that the workers in the tourism industry are not being treated well, that they have low wages. And so, that's an interesting clash that we needed to have heard mechanized a lot more. We also hear as well coming out from first speaker that we get entertainment from these all-inclusives, some sort of culture coming out of these all-inclusives. Again, we wanted to hear a lot more about that from first speaker, right? We heard a little bit more of them going further on in the debate. Now, as you can appreciate from what it is I'm saying, the debate really heated up once we got into the second period of cross, the first period of cross, and the substantive speeches that came after. So, what did we get then?

[01:51:01]Well, we hear from proposition that there's a direct benefit to the individuals in the craft market. We hear as well this really interesting and compelling idea that sports tourism is really important and impactful and this is something that you simply cannot get from the all-inclusive and it is an untapped market that we can only sufficiently extract from when we get into this local market tourism. They tell us about Usain Bolt. They tell us about all of these wonderful things that we're doing and we're leaving money on the table and that money will remain on the table unless we move away from that all-inclusive method. We think that's compelling. We think that's a good argument and we don't get a substantial respond to that argument from team opposition and so we want to be mindful of that and credit to a great extent that particular argument.

[01:51:48]So, coming out from the debate again, I would have mentioned before that we understood to a far greater extent the claims that came over from Sabrina particularly coming out from Camille. Camille tells us to a great extent how it is that we get the kinds of things that they're talking about, the importance of the marketing and the linkages, the infrastructure development, all of those aggressive FDI and modernization that we can only get through the air through the all-inclusive hotels. So, Camille's speech, while may seem to have been derivative from Sabrina, the fact that she went so much more deeper into explaining these contentious claims would have made it far more compelling in the debate. On the matter of clashes, we hear this idea of authentic authentic culture versus a curated culture.

[01:52:35]Team proposition tells us that you don't get the cultural experience from the all-inclusive hotel. Team opposition tells us that you get that culture from the all-inclusive hotels through through two mechanisms. One, when individuals go to the all-inclusive hotel, the all-inclusive hotel curates that culture for the individual staying in that all-inclusive hotel. They have reggae nights and sing-alongs and dance-alongs and all of these really awesome and cool things, right? The response that we get from team proposition was not nearly sufficient because one, team opposition tells us that we get that culture. They also tell us that when you go to the all-inclusive hotel, you're not siloed inside of the hotel. There are tours that go to these particular places, right? They tell us as well that these are actually better because it is a perfect version of our culture, all the good things without all the bad things, and that is what we want to present to our tourists. The response to that kind of argument was just a reiteration of the fact that you don't get that culture from the hotel, particularly coming out from third speaker where you say you jump in the bus and you go to the four walls of the hotel and you never move.

[01:53:44]That kind of argument doesn't directly answer the claims that come from team opposition about a beautifully curated culture. We wanted to understand why the curated culture that team opposition is contending that we get is insufficient or is not authentic, and more importantly, why that authenticity matters to the average tourist. We didn't get that kind of analysis coming out of it.

[01:54:06]Also particularly interesting is that the lack of mechanization in terms of how it is we move from one area to the other that is all-inclusive moving over onto the local market, and again, this idea of how that will not weaken at the end of the day the experience. The last thing that I want to say before I announce the winners is this idea of a leakages versus policy. Team proposition contends that a lot of the money that derives from these all-inclusive hotels simply go back abroad and the local individuals don't benefit. Team opposition contends that we can solve that with policies. We don't really like understand to a great extent how that will help. We got an introduction of a policy that gives some sort of taxation.

[01:54:47]Um, we buy it to some extent, but we don't think you can just fix every single problem that has ever existed in the world by just slapping a policy on it, right? And if it is that you want to do that, you need to do a lot more work in terms of proving how that policy will provide that kind of substantive resolution to the problem.

[01:55:04]So, ladies and gentlemen, with all that said, the score is ending this round. One team on 274 points to the other team's 280 points.

[01:55:16]The team that wins this match and will advance to the quarter-finals of this competition is the team in opposition, the National [screaming] Environment and Planning Agency.

[01:55:32]>> [applause] >> Congratulations to team NEPA and very well debated team National Fisheries Authority. A round of applause for them as well.

[01:55:47]>> [applause] >> The best debater from this match also comes to us from team NEPA, and that is your final speaker, Kayla Smith.

[01:55:59]>> [applause] >> Join us in a few moments, ladies and gentlemen, where we will see the next match in this room, in the octafinals of the public sector debate competition.

[01:56:08]Alton Dale, rather until then, uh have a wonderful rest of your day.

[01:56:13]>> [applause] >> Mhm.