Debates Commission raises $30 million to host national debates

The Jamaica Debates Commission says it has raised the approximately $30 million it needed to host three 90-minute political debates, ahead of the September 3 general elections.

At a virtual press conference this afternoon, chairman of the commission, Noel daCosta, said although COVID-19 has affected the normal format of the debates, it is prepared to continue using a new structure. He pointed out that the necessary physical distancing measures will be in place, especially for the team debates between the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) on Tuesday, August 25. The JLP's Dr Christopher Tufton, Kamina Johnson Smith and Floyd Green, who will challenge the PNP’s Peter Bunting, Dayton Campbell and Krystal Tomlinson on social issues.

On Thursday, August 27 the JLP’s Dr Nigel Clarke will spar with the PNP’s Mark Golding, over economic issues; and the final debate on Saturday, August 29 will be a face-off between leader of the JLP, Andrew Holness and president of the PNP, Dr Peter Phillips.

The debates will be held inside the Creative Production and Training Centre in Kingston at 9:00 p.m. There will be no studio audience. Persons on set will also be required to sanitise their hands frequently. 

The commission is encouraging Jamaicans locally and overseas to visit its website, www.jamaicadebatescommission.org, and its social media pages to share their views and questions for the debaters.

“Your issues and questions may actually get to be the ones posed by the social media questioner in the debates. We have finalised our list of moderators and questioners and the parties have settled their team members for the debates. As a precaution we have engaged backup moderators and questioners in the event there are any undue eventualities that would affect anyone’s participation,” daCosta said.

He added that the commission will be mounting watches for each debate, to encourage Jamaicans at home and abroad to inform and educate themselves on issues that affect their communities and country.

“The watches also seek to find out the views and track record of those running for public office, so citizens can make better informed choices. There will be debate watches in 20 ZOOM rooms for each debate, for participants in each parish and for Jamaicans overseas. The debates are only possible, because of the financial support of our sponsors and donors who have contributed in cash, kind and services. Production includes studio production, physical production, streaming worldwide, advertising, promotion, mounting of debate watches and exit research polls,” daCosta said. 

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