Kandy Girls’ High School lifts debating crown

Kandy Girls’ High School won the 17th KM De Lanerolle Memorial Inter-school Debate tournament organized by the Past Debaters of Kingswood College recently.

In the finals, Girls’ High School defeated Anuradhapura Central College in a close debate over Sri Lanka’s being a “Democratic Socialist Republic”.

Aini Raaiz of Girls’ High School was the tournament’s Best Speaker. Lakindu Rathnayake of Anuradhapura Central College was adjudged the Speaker of the Final.

In the semi-finals, Anuradhapura Central College edged out St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala, while Kandy Girls’ High School beat Kingswood College. The inter-house division of the tournament (held among the four houses of Kingswood) was won by Rugby House who went undefeated in a league of three rounds.

Awards and prizes were given away by Namal Chandana Kumara, the Principal of Kingswood College.

Having commenced in 2004, the K.M. De Lanerolle debate series is the longest running tournament of its kind in Kandy. Fifteen school teams participated this year. The tournament is dedicated to the memory of Kenneth M. De Lanerolle – English scholar, writer, poet, and painter – who was Kingswood’s sixth Principal from 1959 to 1967.

The winners – Kandy Girls’ High School

[Left]: Best Speaker – Aini Raaiz of Girls’ High School. [Right:] The captain of Kandy Girls’ High School receiving the trophy

The winners of the inter-house division of the tournament – Rugby House