JDC tweaks national debates
Published:Wednesday | August 20, 2025 | 12:16 AM
There will be a change in the national debate format on the economy this year, with a three-member team from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) going up against their People’s National Party (PNP) counterparts.
The Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC) says the change in the format from the finance minister and the opposition spokesman on finance going head to head was based on feedback from the public.
Using data to make its decision, the JDC says the public has greater interest in a team debate over the previous one-on-one matchup.
Another change made by the JDC in the structure of the debate will see the opening statements being dropped to facilitate more questions.
The JDC debates will take place before a live studio audience beginning a 9 p.m.
The first debate on social issues is a team debate between three representatives of both parties on Saturday, August 23. The debate will cover areas such as youth, education, culture, crime, technology and innovation, employment, health and medical care, environmental management, and transportation, among others.
In terms of the second debate, on Tuesday, August 26, three representatives from both the JLP and the PNP will field questions from journalists but will also get the opportunity to outline their parties’ policies and programmes on economic growth and fiscal management.
The JDC has suggested that journalists could ask questions in relation to growth, taxation, micro, small and medium sized enterprises, trade, industry and investment, human capital development, and the labour market.
The final debate between Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding will see both leaders commenting on their parties’ policies and programmes on Thursday, August 28.
In addition, the two leaders are expected to respond to a wide range of topics, including vision for Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora, climate resilience and the environment, integrated development planning and governance, as well as constitutional reform.
Chairman of the JDC, Brian Schmidt, said the journalists could ignore the suggestions made by the JDC and pose questions on topics they choose.
Members of the public will have the opportunity to pose questions to the debaters online.
The PNP’s team on social policy issues comprises Damion Crawford, Raymond Pryce, and Sophia Fraser-Binns while Pearnel Charles Jr, Kamina Johnson Smith, and Matthew Samuda make up the JLP’s team.
The debate on the economy will see the PNP’s Julian Robinson, Peter Bunting, and Kisha Anderson going up against the JLP’s Fayval Williams, Dr Christopher Tufton, and Dr Dana Morris-Dixon.