It was the People’s National Movement (PNM) that rejected the July 30 date previously set for the election debate between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and their Leader Dr Keith Rowley.
Rowley, in a brief interview yesterday, directed all questions on the proposed debate to party chairman Franklin Khan. Khan, Rowley said, was in charge of a debate team set up by the PNM to finalise the debate with the T&T Debates Commission.
“The PNM has put a team in place and at the end of the day, when that is finalised, they will communicate the decision to me and we will go forward,” Rowley said.
“I will wait and see,” he said.
Khan, in a subsequent interview, confirmed that there was no new date presented to the PNM.
“We rejected the July 30 date based on the rules and regulations of the commission,” Khan said.
Khan said the PNM found that the criteria for selection to take part in the debate stipulated that any party qualified once it was contesting over 21 seats or could command more that 14.5 per cent of the popular vote.
“We cannot meet that criteria until after nomination day,” Khan said.
Khan said the PNM was committed to following due process and that the criteria were fundamental to that process.
“We re-thought our position and found that the debate should be held after nomination day,” Khan said.
He said the party had another meeting planned with the Debates Commission in the coming week to finalise the party’s position and discuss the other rules and regulations.
“But the PNM is on board and ready for the debate,” Khan said.
Attorney Larry Lalla, who stands as the debates negotiator for Persad-Bissessar, wrote to the Debates Commission highlighting his disappointment that it did not keep to the July 30 date as previously agreed.
In a strongly worded letter to the Debates Commission, Lalla suggested that another organisation be entrusted with organising the debate between Rowley and Persad-Bissessar.
“Given that the TTDC is not now able to fulfil its commitment to hold the debate on the date fixed, it is surely now time for the debate to be organised by another organisation,” Lalla said.
“The Prime Minister has indicated her willingness to take part in the debate on July 30,” Lalla added.
With both parties ready for the August 17 nomination day, the new date for the much-anticipated debate between Persad-Bissessar and Rowley may be fixed for any time after that. But Lalla, in his letter to the TTDC, asked for the debate “to be held soon” in order to help citizens decide in the upcoming election.
“Everybody should now direct all their energies to make sure this debate still goes ahead,” Lalla said.
Kumar: No political divide in Debates Commission
When contacted for comment, acting chief executive officer at Debates Commission, Catherine Kumar, confirmed that the July 30 debate would have to be postponed.
She said though the Debates Commission consulted with both parties on the date, the EBC had not yet announced the date for nominations. She said the PNM was correct in stating that it could not participate in any debate until after nomination day on August 17.
“The debate is in the best interest of T&T but we need to also ensure that it is done correctly,” Kumar said.
Kumar also took the time to outrightly deny all speculation that there was a political divide within the Debates Commission.
Kumar admitted that she has, in the past, been approached by both parties to form part of their political team but felt she was already making a contribution to the nation through her work at the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
“I have zero political aspirations. The Debates Commission needs to remain as independent as possible because you are negotiating with both parties,” Kumar said.