Sing Tao 2012: Semi-Final Results, Grand Final Match-up

Yesterday saw the semi-finals of the 2011-2012 Sing Tao Inter-School Debating Competition hosted at St. Joseph’s College. Diocesan Girls’ School (Affirmative) defeated Diocesan Boys’ School on the motion that ‘The Hong Kong government should amend the Marriage Ordinance to give transsexuals the right to marry.’ La Salle College successfully opposed St. Paul’s Co-Educational College on the motion that ‘Recruiting mainland athletes to compete for Hong Kong does more good than harm to Hong Kong’s sporting development’. Both DGS and LSC won by 3 votes to 1.

This means that the Grand Final, on the 12th of May, will be contested between LSC and DGS. Both schools have a history in the Sing Tao competition, being the two of just 3 schools that have won the Sing Tao in the last 6 editions. With South Island School winning in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011; DGS won in 2007 and LSC in 2009. I am pretty sure that both teams will feature members of the Hong Kong Debate Team, Natalie So from DGS and Ben Allen from LSC. DGS have won the Sing Tao 6 times; in 1987, 1989, back to back in 1996 and 1997 as well as in 2002 and 2007. However, La Salle does have the more recent success in 2009 as well as winning the Senior HKSDC tournament in September last year and again in February earlier this year.

It looks to be a tight competition with two well accomplished teams facing off. I myself sadly won’t be able to attend the Grand Final, but I look forward to the DVD when it does come out.

Sing Tao Grand Finals 2010

Sing Tao Semi-Final (Same team as Grand Final)

As night began to fall on the 4th of May, the conclusion to yet another six month campaign for the Sing Tao Inter-School Debating Competition Championship, the biggest of its kind in Hong Kong, remained up in the air. The stage was set, the lights switched on and the seats filled at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, as a young South Island School and a confident looking La Salle College strolled onto the stage with Diocesan Boys School as chairperson and timekeeper. In what would turn out to be the youngest and most contentious finals of recent times, history was to be made.

On the one hand, La Salle College aimed to become only the 5th school to win back-to-back championships and successfully defend the trophy they had won last year. Interestingly, there were three new faces on stage led by national team member Griffith Cheng as captain. The team remained unchanged from the semi-finals with Nicky Anto and Donald Lam as 1st and 2nd speaker respectively.
The proposition South Island School also featured national team member Tiffany Chung as 1st speaker. Ivan Siu returned as 2nd speaker in the team led by captain Paul Lau (that’s me!) who holds the record as the youngest Grand Final participant whether as floor-speaker (Year 7, Primary 6) or as a debater (Year 9, Form 2). Despite being the only member of the 2008 SIS team, the entire squad was looking to recapture the cup that had been lost last year to become only the 2nd school to grab three championships by winning every other year. Following Island School’s victory in the 2nd, 4th and 6th edition, a win for SIS would cement its position as amongst the best debating teams in Hong Kong after winning the 21st and 23rd edition.

The two teams clashed on the motion that “The FIFA World Cup matches should be broadcast live, on free to air television, free of charge”. The ensuing battle had SIS arguing for the status quo citing the low coverage of Pay TV and need to widen access to the FIFA World Cup on a local and global scale. The opposition, coached by national team coach Greg Forse, argued against a change in policy, nothing the ineffectiveness of a new policy. They also looked at the availability and culture of public viewing in Hong Kong alone as reasons why people didn’t need free to air World Cup broadcasts, especially when it would bankrupt FIFA. SIS countered in the free debate, arguing that FIFA hadn’t gone bankrupt despite having free-to-air as a majority of TV broadcasts in 2002, an event that LSC’s captain Griffith called an exception. In his conclusion, Griffith returned to his opening statement, appearing to challenge the definition arguing that the motion implied some form of change. In the debate’s last speech, Paul quoted FIFA”s contract with broadcasters saying that the proposition had correctly argued for the motion and the status quo.

Sing Tao 2010 – Grand Final

2 teams remain standing after months of preparation, debates and speeches in the 25th Sing Tao Inter-School Debating Competition. After 3 rounds, the quarter finals and the semi final competitions, the teams that will progress into the Grand Final have been decided.

In the Semi Finals held today, La Salle College beat Marymount Secondary School on the motion ‘The government should relax the income limit for the Home Ownership Scheme’ 3-0 with Griffith Cheng snatching the Best Speaker award. South Island School beat Diocesan Boys School 2-1 on the motion that ‘The extension of repayment for the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme does more good than harm’. Paul Lau of SIS was the Best Speaker

This means the grand finals of the 25th Sing Tao Debating Competition will be between La Salle College and South Island School. La Salle will attempt to defend their title with the second consecutive championship, a feat completed only by 4 other schools. South Island School will attempt to become only the second team to win it 3 times in 5 years with exactly 1 year between each championship.

Affirmative : South Island School
Opposition : La Salle College

Grand Final Draw

Grand Final Tickets

This years Grand Final will again be held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium on the Tuesday 4th May, 2010. Interested parties can get tickets for the Grand Finals in the following methods.

Sing Tao 2010 – Semi Final

After 4 months of hard work and 4 rounds of debates in that period of time, the field of teams fro the 25th Sing Tao Inter-School Debating Competition has been whittled down to just 4 teams.

Marymount Secondary School hope to make history with their first Grand Final appearance in recent times. La Salle College will try to make history repeat itself with their 2nd Grand Final appearance in as many years. If they succeed, South Island School will make their 3rd Grand Final appearance in 5 years. Not to be outdone, Diocesan Boys School who won the Chinese Section last year, will hope to repeat the feat this year in the English section.

The Sing Tao Draw

The decision as to who makes the Grand Final will fall onto the hands of yet unknown adjudicators. What we do know is that on 17th April 2010 the 4 teams will face-off at Ying Wa Girls School. The details of the 2 contest are :