Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica president, Beverley Lopez.THE PEOPLE'S National Party (PNP) presidential debate, which the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has feverishly attempted to organise, has been officially called off.
In a statement issued yesterday the PSOJ, and co-organisers the Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) said they noted with regret that, despite their best efforts, they had been unable to confirm the participation of all four candidates for the PNP presidency in the debate.
According to the statement, both associations therefore agreed to call off the debate, as it was felt that it was too important a national event to proceed without the participation of all candidates.
"We are disappointed, as we believe that this would have been a significant forum at which the prospective leaders would offer their vision and their strategies for realisation, to the Jamaican public," said PSOJ president Beverley Lopez.
Mrs. Lopez added: "This is even more important, especially in light of the socio-economic realities of Jamaica and the fact that one of these candidates will become the next Prime Minister of Jamaica."
CONTROVERSY
The proposed debate was wracked by controversy when candidate Portia Simpson Miller said she could not participate in a rescheduled date for the event.
The event had been rescheduled after the PSOJ said it had encountered
difficulties securing sponsorship.
The associations said they shared a sense of frustration in their inability to have facilitated the forum, in spite of encouraging discussions over the past month. The PSOJ and MAJ also extended best wishes to all candidates in the leadership race.
