News and analysis

Today's highly anticipated live debate among the leaders of the political parties contesting next Monday’s local government elections has been cancelled by the Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC), the Express has learnt.

The decision to cancel yesterday’s planned debate organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC) is a blatant disrespect to citizens looking forward to the debate.

Is the debate still on? That was the question many people asked on social media yesterday after news broke that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar—leader of the People’s Partnership Government—had opted not to participate in tomorrow’s T&T Debates Commission’s leaders’ debate.

The Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission is appealing to Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar to re-consider her decision not to participate in a leader’s debate on Tuesday as the voters prepare to elect Mayors and Local Government councillors on October 21.

Statement issued by TT Debates Commission on Tuesday's Leaders' Debate.

A principle based on which Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) plans to host debates between some of the presidential candidates excludes ex-parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze to face Georgian Dream’s Giorgi Margvelashvili and UNM’s Davit Bakradze in the debates.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has bowed out of tomorrow’s live debate organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC), opting instead to have political leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Prakash Ramadhar represent the People’s Partnership coalition.

(Editorial) No matter how it is spun, the sad reality is that the political leader of the People’s Partnership, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has ducked out of tomorrow’s Leadership Debate organised by T&T Debates Commission.

Despite its best efforts, the Congress of the People (COP) remains “an appendage” within the UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition government.

Independent Liberal Party (ILP) interim deputy political leader attorney Anna Deonarine says her political leader, Jack Warner, is looking forward to the upcoming Local Government elections debate and is starting ahead of the pack because of the love the people have for him.

The T&T Debates Commission (TTDC) will consider amending the rules and changing the allotted time for the question and rebuttal session after its review of the senior representatives’ debate.

Robin Montano, the interim chairman of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), feels his party was somewhat “ambushed” at a live debate hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Debates Commission (TTDC) on Thursday night.