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FM
Former Member

THE DEBATES ARE A WASTE OF TIME

April 21, 2015 | By | Filed Under Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Source

 

In 1992 there was a televised debate between the presidential candidates of the People’s Progressive Party Civic and the People’s National Congress. Cheddi Jagan represented the former and Desmond Hoyte the latter.
Desmond Hoyte came with a predetermined strategy. He was grumpy and mean. He sought to bully Jagan into denying that he was a communist. Hoyte’s whole attitude spoiled the debate because he kept asking Cheddi whether he was a communist.


I thought Cheddi, not known for personal attacks, handled himself well in the discussion. And I had anticipated that many of the supporters of the PNC would have been disgusted with the grumpiness that Hoyte demonstrated.


To my surprise when I spoke the next day to a number of PNC supporters, they felt that Hoyte had won the debate and they even went as far as trying to ridicule some of the things that Jagan said.


From that day I was never a convert to political debates between the presidential candidates contesting elections in Guyana. The political culture is too polarized for these debates to swing anyone’s mind even though there has always been a significant block of voters who do not make up their mind as to who to vote for until the very last moment.


The outcome of debates between presidential candidates has never been established to swing votes. They may allow for candidates to contest positions on issues but they do not force any major shift in the voting preferences of the electorate.


They are thus merely held to allow for candidates to amplify their positions on issues. At least this is what it is said they do in theory. In reality these debates are a form of political theatre.


Anyone who has ever been to a debate at the University of Guyana will appreciate what political theatrics is about.


What takes place at the University of Guyana each elections year cannot be classified as a debate. It is really a piece of political theatre. The sessions are reduced to each of the political parties massing their supporters into the large lecture theater and having these supporters and cheer lustfully when their candidates make a point.


These sessions bring out the worst in the supporters of the political parties and make a mockery of the view that the academic community can be expected to be objective in assessing arguments made by the contestants.


These sessions are good for political cheerleading practice. But in terms of really allowing for an objective assessment of each candidate they fall far short of such expectations.


The organizing of debates between the presidential candidates of the various contesting political parties is a form of copycat politics. It is something that Guyanese have seen practiced in the United States and which has been an attempt to mimic here.


It is not an old tradition in Westminster politics. It is only in recent times that there have been debates between the leaders of the parties contesting elections in Britain. The British are joining the American bandwagon.


I have never heard a radio debate- there was no television in Guyana in those days- between Burnham and Jagan. And they contested a number of elections in Guyana.


The PPPC has opted out of a debate between its Prime Ministerial candidate and that of the opposition coalition APNU+ AFC. I do not think that many people accept the excuse that the PPP has offered. It has said that its candidate was subject to abuse on the political platform and it does not wish to countenance such conduct. It forgot to mention that the Prime Ministerial candidate of APNU+AFC has been the victim of similar treatment by speakers on the PPPC’s platform.


I am sure that many people believe that the reason why the PPPC has opted out is because it is attempting to shield its candidate from such debates.


It should in fact not dignify any such debates. They serve very little useful purpose and are reduced to theatrics. They have no bearing on the outcome of the elections and on the choices of undecided voters as Election Day nears.

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Why should Guyana have a Prime Minister who runs/hides from a simple debate? – Trotman

Guyana has been through enough over the last 10 years with regard to leadership; one of the last things this country now needs is a Prime Minister who lacks mettle

 

By Abena Rockcliffe, April 21, 2015 | By | Filed Under News, Source

 

“One of the qualities of any good leader is mettle. Moreover, when someone decides that he or she wants to be a part of a country’s leadership and hold the future of hundreds of thousands of citizens in his or her hands, that person must accept and embrace the fact that mettle is no longer just an asset, it is a necessity.”

 

APNU+AFC Co-Chair, Raphael Trotman

APNU+AFC Co-Chair, Raphael Trotman


That is the sentiment expressed yesterday by A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Campaign Co-chair, Raphael Trotman as he responded to the reasons put forward by the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as why it’s Prime Ministerial (PM) candidate will not debate her counterpart.


On Sunday, PPP/C issued a statement to the effect that it will not allow its PM Candidate, Elisabeth Harper to be involved in a political debate against APNU+AFC PM Candidate, Moses Nagamootoo and fear was the reason put forward for this decision.


The Party expressed fear that Harper would be subjected to ‘disrespect.’
The PPP/C noted that while it has accepted the invitation for a public Presidential debate from the Private Sector Commission, their decision to not entertain the Harper-Nagamootoo debate is final.


The reason for this, it posited, is that there has been an ongoing campaign of vile attacks against women candidates of the PPP/C, especially towards Harper through the daily newspaper letters and articles being managed by the Opposition.


While no mention was made of any particular article, the party said that it condemns the disrespect being meted out to women in the public service and said that such news items show disregard to mothers, wives, and daughters who want to serve the country.

 

PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Elisabeth Harper

PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Elisabeth Harper


Yesterday Trotman told Kaieteur News that the “excuse” put forward by the PPP is “ultra lame.”


He added, “That excuse simply lacks merit. Anyone vying to be Prime Minster for Prime Ministerial position should at least have mettle.”


The former Speaker of the National Assembly pointed to the fact, that Harper will have to act in the capacity as President any time Ramotar leaves the country if the PPP/C is returned to office. He then questioned “Why should Guyana have a Prime Minister who cannot handle a simple debate.”


Trotman also told Kaieteur News that “Guyana has been through too much over the last 10 years with regards to leadership…one of the last things this country now needs is a Prime Minister who lacks mettle.”


The coalition member made it clear that his comrade, Nagamootoo, had no interest in attacking Harper as he has enough ammunition to just focus on the real issues affecting Guyana and how APNU+AFC government will rid Guyana of such constraints.


Trotman said, “This debate is not about Harper and her lifestyle; this is supposed to be a debate of substance.”


APNU+AFC Vice-Presidential candidate Khemraj Ramjattan told Kaieteur News that  the PPP’s statements vindicated his previously reported position that the PPP is “scared to death” to have debates.


Ramjattan added that the PPP is trying to be clever in that “they do not want the public to know how rotten and discredited the politicians are and that is one of the things that the debate would have revealed. I knew from the inception that they would have run away.”


Also, APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon was reported yesterday in a section of the media as saying that the PPP is hiding Harper.


He said that Harper cannot aspire for public office and subsequently make herself unavailable to such scrutiny from the public.


“The PPP, they are trying to foist persons who are incapable of dealing with public issues on public platforms,” said Harmon.


The PPP emphasized on Sunday that its Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar, stands ready for a debate, but Harper is out of the question.


However, the APNU+AFC has made its position clear on the matter that it must have double or nothing ; Harper versus Nagamootoo and Ramotar versus APNU+AFC’s Presidential Candidate, David Granger.


Ramotar had said that Harper is quite capable of handling herself. The Head of State had even stated, “Nagamootoo is no match for Harper, I am sure Harper can account for herself.”


The PPP/C, while accepting the Private Sector’s Presidential debate invitation, said nothing in its statement to the media about possible participation in the highly anticipated civil society discussion. This event was said to be postponed after issues of air conditioning and space were placed in the spotlight by the PPP/C.

FM

The presidential debates in 2011 was a disaster. It was poorly arranged and fixed to insult the PPP. Guyana is new at debates, but with time we will see clean and unbiased debates. The recent TV appearance with Harper in NY was unscripted and all the bad questions were shoved down the woman's face.

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The presidential debates in 2011 was a disaster. It was poorly arranged and fixed to insult the PPP. Guyana is new at debates, but with time we will see clean and unbiased debates. The recent TV appearance with Harper in NY was unscripted and all the bad questions were shoved down the woman's face.

Guyana not new to debates

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:

The presidential debates in 2011 was a disaster. It was poorly arranged and fixed to insult the PPP. Guyana is new at debates, but with time we will see clean and unbiased debates. The recent TV appearance with Harper in NY was unscripted and all the bad questions were shoved down the woman's face.

She is only there as a token black and a token woman, that's it. Nothing to do with what she does or doesn't know about politics, which seems to be ziltch

cain
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
One of the qualities of any good leader is mettle. Moreover, when someone decides that he or she wants to be a part of a country’s leadership and hold the future of hundreds of thousands of citizens in his or her hands, that person must accept and embrace the fact that mettle is no longer just an asset, it is a necessity.”

 

That is the sentiment expressed yesterday by A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Campaign Co-chair, Raphael Trotman as he responded to the reasons put forward by the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as why it’s Prime Ministerial (PM) candidate will not debate her counterpart.

 

Why should Guyana have a Prime Minister who runs/hides from a simple debate? – Trotman, By Abena Rockcliffe, April 21, 2015 | By | Filed Under News, Source

Correct and hence the reason why the PPP/C clearly made its point about the debates.

 

Presidential debates are in order but the Presidential and Prime Ministerial debates should not be tied together.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
One of the qualities of any good leader is mettle. Moreover, when someone decides that he or she wants to be a part of a country’s leadership and hold the future of hundreds of thousands of citizens in his or her hands, that person must accept and embrace the fact that mettle is no longer just an asset, it is a necessity.”

 

That is the sentiment expressed yesterday by A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Campaign Co-chair, Raphael Trotman as he responded to the reasons put forward by the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as why it’s Prime Ministerial (PM) candidate will not debate her counterpart.

 

Why should Guyana have a Prime Minister who runs/hides from a simple debate? – Trotman, By Abena Rockcliffe, April 21, 2015 | By | Filed Under News, Source

Correct and hence the reason why the PPP/C clearly made its point about the debates.

 

Presidential debates are in order but the Presidential and Prime Ministerial debates should not be tied together.

It is called "Presidential Debates" not "Prime Ministerial Debates".

FM
Originally Posted by skeldon_man:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
One of the qualities of any good leader is mettle. Moreover, when someone decides that he or she wants to be a part of a country’s leadership and hold the future of hundreds of thousands of citizens in his or her hands, that person must accept and embrace the fact that mettle is no longer just an asset, it is a necessity.”

 

That is the sentiment expressed yesterday by A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Campaign Co-chair, Raphael Trotman as he responded to the reasons put forward by the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as why it’s Prime Ministerial (PM) candidate will not debate her counterpart.

 

Why should Guyana have a Prime Minister who runs/hides from a simple debate? – Trotman, By Abena Rockcliffe, April 21, 2015 | By | Filed Under News, Source

Correct and hence the reason why the PPP/C clearly made its point about the debates.

 

Presidential debates are in order but the Presidential and Prime Ministerial debates should not be tied together.

It is called "Presidential Debates" not "Prime Ministerial Debates".

Hey hey hey. Lizzy scare. 

FM

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