The Tribune

CALTRANIQUE Gardiner, of Westminster College, is the winner of a new essay-writing competition which organisers hope will become an annual event.

The competition was a joint venture between the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and The Nassau Institute and was sponsored by the Templeton Foundation. It was open to pupils in both private and public high schools who were enrolled in Business Studies programmes. They were required to write an essay in their own words based on a designated subject in the book “Economics in One Lesson” by renowned American economist Henry Hazlitt.

The competition was held at the Anatol Rodgers High School on February 1.

The overall winner was Caltranique Gardiner, the runner-up was Ayesha Kemp, of Anatol Rodgers, while Sherica Rose, of Doris Johnson Senior High School, took third place.

Their respective prizes - awarded at a ceremony yesterday at the Ministry of Education - were a laptop, an iPad and a Kindle Fire as well as an inscribed trophy.

The winners in each school which participated also received an inscribed trophy. Their teachers also attended the prizegiving and the students who produced the best work received prizes and trophies while all participants earned certificates of attendance.

Serethea Clark, Deputy Director of Education, welcomed this example of involvement by the private sector and praised the efforts of Gwendolyn Johnson, Education Officer for Business Studies at the Ministry of Education, who had overall responsibility for the competition. She also commended the work of Samantha Keziah Knowles and Lakell Johnson, of Anatol Rodgers High School, in handling the detailed arrangements.

Peter Young, a director of The Nassau Institute and the former British High Commissioner, thanked all concerned involved in organising the competition and congratulated the students on their successful participation. He expressed the hope that such an essay contest could be become an annual event and that the Ministry of Education and The Nassau Institute would be able to work together on other related projects in the future. He also thanked the sponsors for their generous support.

Rick Lowe, President of The Nassau Institute, took part in the presentation of prizes, trophies and certificates.