The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia and the Minister for Education, John Cortes presented awards to the winners of the Commonwealth essay competition last Friday. This comes in the week where Gibraltar has been represented at a number of events which were organised around the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London. The competition itself was conducted around Commonwealth Day last month and it attracted over sixty entries. Students were given the title ‘Our connection with the Commonwealth’ and asked to write an essay.

The winners were:

• 1st Sophia Purkis (Year 7 Loreto Convent)
• 2nd Barnaby Jarvis (Year 7 Loreto Convent)
• 3rd Eva Devincenzi (St Bernards Middle School)
The following received Highly Commended awards:
• Nicole Zinovev (Year 7 Loreto Convent)
• Arabella Barton (St Bernards Middle School)
• Evelyn Bibby (St Bernards Middle School)
• Jasmine Bateman (Year 7 Loreto Convent)

The essays were judged by retired teachers Victor Fa (former Deputy Head) and Eddie Gonzalez (former Head of History).

Commenting on the awards, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said: “In less than a year we will have left the European Union and the Government has taken a policy decision to develop and expand our relations with the Commonwealth. It is very fitting that this award ceremony has coincided with the Head of Government meeting in London, and that Gibraltar has been present at the Youth Forum, the Women’s Forum and the Business Forum which have been organised around that event. The essay competition is a way of encouraging young people to take an interest in the Commonwealth family of nations with which Gibraltar is proud to be associated. I want to thank my colleague Professor Cortes and his team for making this possible.”

The Minister for Education John Cortes said:“I wish to thank my staff at the Department, particularly Christopher Gomila, the schools, the judges and the students themselves. I understand that the quality of the work that has been submitted is of a very high standard and this can only augur well for the future at a time when Gibraltar is looking to build new relationships.”

{fcomment}