Tabuya Judges USP Law Debate Final

Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya served as a judge at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Law Students Association debate final yesterday.

The closely contested competition saw two teams face off on the motion that mandatory gender quotas in Parliament undermine merit-based selection and may not lead to meaningful representation.

Tabuya was joined on the judging panel by Madonna Fong of Jamnadas & Associates and Rehana Sen of Tuitoga Haniff Associates.

A total of eight teams took part in the competition, with two advancing to the finals, including a team of first-year students who finished as runners-up.

The debate featured strong arguments from both sides, with participants tackling issues of fairness, merit and representation, while also drawing on international examples.

Tabuya commended the students for their analytical thinking and engagement throughout the competition.

She encouraged students to continue working hard, remain disciplined in their studies, and take every opportunity to develop their skills.