Trinidad & Tobago election 2015: Leader’s debates cancelled

The Trinidad & Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC) Wednesday said it had been forced to call of the debates of the political leaders scheduled for later this month ahead of the September 7 general elections.

The debates commission said in a statement that “it is with deep regret” that it had been forced to cancel the 2 debates scheduled for August 20 and 27.

It was hoped that the debates commission would stage debates among the eligible leaders in the run-up to the September 7 general election.

According to the statement from the commission, there had initially been positive responses and support from all the participating political parties – which had previously engaged in debates hosted by the same commission, in the 2010 and 2013 local government and the 2013 Tobago House of Assembly elections.

Initial commitments by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the leader of the People’s Partnership, and Opposition Leader Keith Rowley, the leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM), “inspired confidence” that the debates would be held, TTDC stated.

Persad-Bissessar and her People’s Partnership party indicated its willingness to debate in July only and under certain specific demands, while Rowley and his People’s National Movement party indicated their willingness to participate in the debates in accordance with the debates commission’s rules – one of which was that the debates must be held after nomination day, at which time those who qualify will be made known.

The cancellation of the debates between the leaders comes amid an increasingly bitter campaign with both the incumbent and opposition parties trading accusations. -(CMC)