The National Election Debate Series Planning Committee is pleased to announce that the third debate to be hosted by University of The Bahamas and Verizon Media Group will be held on August 10, 2021 under the theme “Constitutional Reform and Human Rights”. The theme is timely and relevant considering the country recently observed its 48th independence and the Emancipation Day anniversary.
From the end of slavery and the post-emancipation period, the struggle for self-rule and sovereignty has always been at the core of the Bahamian citizenry. The country has achieved so much through the collaborative efforts of successive political leaders who channeled the socio-political will of an engaged citizenry. The efforts of the committee and its partners extend the struggle for freedom by deepening democracy through rigorous debate and discussion on national issues. Some of the seminal issues we seek to address in our next debate are related to our current adoption of the British Westminster model of government and the extent to which this system is suitable for a country and people still attempting to emancipate themselves from the legacy of colonialism. Participating debaters will be asked to reflect on pressing constitutional concerns related to equality, the rule of law and international conventions that The Bahamas has endorsed as a sovereign nation. They will also be asked to discuss antiquated laws in the country and how their party would amend or repeal such legislation.
Marion Bethel-Sears, attorney, activist and United Nations expert, noted: “It’s timely, it’s critical, it’s super important for the society at large to have these debates, to have conversations with people who are going to represent us, for at least five years, and are going to be putting forward laws and policies and programmes on our behalf. They have to know what we think, what we want, and where we see this country moving and how it will move.”
For the third debate, the committee is pleased to announce important changes to the format of the debates in keeping with its stated vision, and public feedback. The next debate will feature the top four political parties as ranked by the results of polling conducted by our partner Intel Cay. The poll has been open since the start of the series, and will remain open for its duration. Secondly, participants in the third installment of the debates are now required to be ratified candidates in the upcoming General Elections as they would be best suited to present the party’s policy position on the twin issues of constitutional reform and human rights. Notably, there will now be six questions fielded to debaters. However, of these six questions, only one scripted question will be provided in advance to the debaters. Instead, each of the four participating parties will receive a series of general prompts related to a question that will be posed on the night of the debate. This will allow debaters to adequately prepare for the general topics to be covered during the debate, but discourage scripted speeches.
Further, the committee has prohibited the reading of lengthy, prepared speeches as this detracts from the overall value and principles of the debate, and has also been a top complaint from the public. Finally, the six debate questions—one scripted and five unscripted with prompts—will be fielded by two moderators: UB Chair of Social Sciences and former Director of Culture Dr Nicolette Bethel and former Executive Director of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and TV host at Bahamas at Sunrise Mr. Philip Simon. The hosts will use their discretionary power to determine which question will be asked at the appropriate time during the debate.
On August 10, participating debaters will be asked to reflect on pressing constitutional concerns as they relate to equality, the rule of law and international conventions that The Bahamas has signed onto as a sovereign nation. They will also be asked to discuss antiquated laws in the country and how their party would go about amending or repealing such legislation. At the root of this great progress is the work of the active citizen, particularly in the labour movement, which continues to advocate for the marginalized Bahamian. In this regard, the committee is pleased to announce the debates have received the full support of the National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB), Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) and allied unions, and the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT).
“The trade unions support the debates because we have to see what type of leaders we’re getting. It’s important,” said Paul Maynard, NCTUB President. “Everyone got this mindset that once the government wins they don’t have to answer to the public, that they can do what they want to. We elect politicians to carry out the mandate of the country and we need them to come to the people and inform us in detail about their vision and how they plan to execute it.” BUT President Belinda Wilson added: “It is really gratifying to see our premier institution of higher learning host a series of political debates. It shows that academia can and will play a pivotal role in the political discussions and narrative in The Bahamas.”
The committee would also like to formally recognize civil servant and educator Mr. Delvano McIntosh as a member of the planning committee. The committee also welcomes the support of the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) and the inclusion of its representative Mr. Steffon Evans as a member of the planning committee. “The theme of the next debate is high on ORG’s agenda for policy reform, and as such, we look forward to the upcoming event as an exciting educational opportunity for all. We have always supported the concept of debates because they allow for a greater level of accountability even before an administration comes into office,” Evans said. “It sets a more realistic expectation of what the relationship between leaders and citizens should look like, one that is grounded in accountability transparency and participation.”
Finally, in keeping with its mandate for media inclusivity, the committee also expresses deep thanks for the support from the Bahamas Press Club (BPC) and its president veteran journalist Mr. Anthony Capron.
National Debate Series Planning Committee
