The APNU+AFC coalition’s participation in a planned presidential debate may hinge on a similar contest being organised for the contesting prime ministerial candidates ahead of next month’s general elections.
“If we get an answer that says there will be no prime ministerial debate, then we will have to reconsider our participation in the presidential debate,” APNU+AFC member Dr Rupert Roopnaraine told a press conference yesterday.
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has invited the incumbent People’s Progressive Party and the coalition to a debate it is organising.
Presidential Candidate for the incumbent PPP/C Donald Ramotar has already agreed to participate, while the coalition has written the PSC requesting that a debate between the prime ministerial candidates is also organised. It has not yet received a reply on the request.
Roopnaraine told reporters that the coalition was in no way shying away from a faceoff of presidential candidates but emphasised that the populace should first hear from the prospective deputies of presidents before the country’s leader.
“We will be entirely happy to participate in the debates but we believe there should be a prime ministerial candidate debate and believe that should precede the presidential debate,” he said.
Roopnaraine noted that it is the Prime Minister, under the current constitutional arrangements, who is in effect going to be leader of the government in the National Assembly, and the post ought not to underestimated or minimised. “We understand the importance of getting the presidential candidates to face off—which has become fashionable elsewhere—but we believe we have a situation where we have the sharing of authority. There is the presidential authority and there is the prime ministerial authority. So, we want to ensure that the [prime ministerial candidates] get a chance to express concerns,” he added.
His position was echoed by AFC General Secretary David Patterson, who underscored the role of the prime minister. “Why would electors not be interested in hearing prime ministerial candidates? They are a heartbeat away from the presidency. So, I think, for the sake of completeness, we should hear from the top candidates,” he said.
Elisabeth Harper is the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate, while Moses Nagamootoo is the candidate for the alliance.
State broadcaster National Communications Network (NCN) has already pulled the plug on a planned series of town-hall style debates for the elections after failing to get a response from the opposition.
NCN’s Chief Executive Officer Molly Hassan had told Stabroek News that while the deadline to respond to the invitation was March 30, an extension was given. She said that she had written to all interested parties on March 26.
NCN subsequently said that after “exhaustive efforts failed to get all stakeholders on board,” it was forced to “abandon” the initiative.
