Main political parties ready for national debates

By: Admin

Image caption: Floyd Green, one of the members of JLP's debate team

The Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party are in countdown mode for the first of three national debates which gets underway tonight.

The 90-minute debate will begin at 9 o'clock.

Floyd Green, a member of the JLP debate team, told Radio Jamaica News Tuesday afternoon, that his team is a balanced "mix of experience and energy (with) people who have served over multiple cabinets in different ministries."

The other members of the team are Dr. Christopher Tufton and Kamina Johnson Smith.   

Mr. Green noted that Dr. Tufton "has straddled things like Health, Agriculture, Industry," while Kamina Johnson Smith "has a very broad grasp of all aspects of government, having served as Leader of Government Business in the Senate and Minister of Foreign Affairs." 

As for himself, Mr. Green said he has "had the honour of observing at (the Ministry of) Education, Youth, Information and also looking at children and now looking at Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Fisheries."

He said the debate is an opportunity for the JLP to share some of its plans and policies. 

"We are campaigning on our achievements, on the track-record that we have established, the things that we have done, the fact that we have kept most of the commitments that we made to the people in 2016 and we expect to be able to bring that to the fore. Plus, we are also campaigning on the fact that with the Labour Party, Jamaica has a stronger future," he asserted.  

PNP 

Meanwhile, in a release Tuesday, the People's National Party (PNP) said it will field a strong and experienced team. 

The team, which is identical to the 2011 debaters, includes Lisa Hanna, Dr. Dayton Campbell and Raymond Pryce. 

According to the release, Miss Hanna will make the opening statement on behalf of the Party and Mr Pryce, will make the closing statement.