The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Education Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Daunte Butler edged out the competition to take home the top prize at the 2nd Annual MLK High School Oratorical Competition.

The competition was organised by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in honour of slain American civil rights leader, The Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Duante, a 16-year-old student at St Augustine’s College spoke about the need for society to come together building on Dr King’s quote: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

The eleventh-grade student noted the need for Bahamians to “heed Dr King’s principle” and stand united against social ills such as misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and crime.

He said: “We may not be facing a war like other countries. Or in the middle of an Essequibo fight like Guyana and Venezuela but xenophobia, homophobia, and misogyny, coupled with violence, have dogged our society for some time and all threaten The Bahamas if we don’t heed Dr King’s principle.

“As our pledge states, we are meant to be ‘one people united in love and service’. When we stain our image as a nation because we fail to be our brother’s keeper - the economic repercussions will be dire for our tourist driven economy. Do we really want to be blacklisted again? When we continue to murder one another with increasing rates, our social state will continue to deteriorate. Would it truly be better in The Bahamas then?”

Ten students competed in the competition with Thoreon Evans, Hutley P Christie High, Andros coming in second place and Jefferson Lightbourn II, St Anne’s taking home third place.

Other competitors were Justin Blanc, Doris Johnson; Vejay Meadows, Aquinas College; Jazmin Miller, Windsor School; Chris Cesar O’Bryan, Anotol Rodgers; Kamroi Rolle, CC Sweeting; Kevin Williams, RM Bailey; and Ethan Williamson, St John’s College.