Amidst calls for a presidential debate, APNU+AFC presidential candidate David Granger says the coalition is sticking to its position that it will not participate in a presidential debate unless a prime ministerial debate precedes it.
“We took a position and we are holding on to it,” Granger said yesterday.
The incumbent PPP has refused to participate in a prime ministerial debate, stating that it is protecting prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper from “disrespect.” The party stated that a debate with APNU/AFC prime ministerial candidate Moses Nagamootoo was inappropriate since he has been “disrespectful and vile” towards Harper.
On Friday, British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn expressed concern about the campaign and said it was essential for the presidential candidates to debate in order to lay out their views to voters.
However, Granger contended that the coalition believes that the people have a right to hear the voices of both the presidential and prime ministerial candidates. He said the two debates would complement each other and give the electorate a rounded view of the policies that will be implemented by the next administration.
Therefore, he said, the coalition will continue to hold its ground until there is a prime ministerial debate.
APNU+AFC member Dr Rupert Roopnaraine had previously stated 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 had said.
He added that the coalition was in no way shying away from a presidential debate, but that the people should first hear from the prospective deputies of presidents before the country’s leader.
The Private Sector Commission had invited the PPP and the coalition to a debate. PPP presidential candidate Donald Ramotar accepted the request while the coalition wrote to the commission, requesting that a debate between the prime ministerial candidates is also organised.
