Proposed Framework for the First Prime Ministerial Debate

Proposed Day: A Sunday Evening. 7:00pm-9:00pm (Date and Times to be mutually agreed re: Candidates, Organisers and Broadcast Network(s)

Proposed Venues:

UWI Lecture Halls, Cipriani Labour College, Queen's Hall, Rudrinath Capildeo Centre.


6 debate Sessions
1 People's Forum Session

Topics:

Health and Social Services
- Construction/ Refurbishment of Hospitals and Health Centres
- Expansion of Health Services, including 24hr health centres
- Adequate Equipment and Staffing for existing hospitals and health centres
- Funding for special medical cases where treatment is required abroad

Environment

- Agriculture
- Food Security

National and Personal Security

- Drug Interdiction
- Gang control
- Gun control
- Crime Detection policies
- Police Service Reform proposals
- Infrastructure for Police Service

- Training
- Issues in the Judiciary including courtroom backlogs
- Reform of method of appointing offices including DPP
-Issues of Corruption

Education

- Policy on Tertiary Education and financing
- Early Childhood Policies

Public Utilities and National Infrastructure
- Electricity Grid
- Water Security
- Road Network
- Public Transport

Economy and Finance

- Foreign Exchange Policy
- Debt Policy
- Economic Diversification
- Policies on Management of the current recession
- Employment Policy and Job Creation
- Poverty Alleviation and Eradication
- Vision 2020

Constitutional Reform

- Local Government Reform
- Term Limits
- Executive Presidency
- Right of Recall Constitution

People's Forum

Questions fielded from members of the public / press corps

5 questions to be submitted by each Candidate, 2 of which will be posed to the opposing candidate as selected by the moderator.

10 questions (or more, depending on time constraints) submitted by the public electronically via Facebook, Twitter, email, fax.

5 questions to be selected from a pool submitted by members of the Press.


Proposed Itinerary

7:00pm -7:01pm Indroduction by the Moderator

7:01pm - 7:03pm Opening Statement (Prime Minister)

7:03pm - 7:05pm Opening Statement (Leader of the Opposition)

7:05pm - 7:13pm Constitutional Reform

7:13pm - 7:15pm Break

7:15pm - 7:27pm Health and Social Services

7:27pm - 7:30pm Break

7:30pm - 7:43pm Public Utilities and National Infrastructure

7:43pm - 7:45pm Break

7:45pm - 7:57pm Education and the Environment

7:57pm - 8:00pm Break

8:00pm - 8:13pm The Economy

8:13pm - 8:15pm Break

8:15pm - 8:27pm National and Personal Security

8:27pm - 8:30pm Break

8:30pm - 8:43pm People's Forum

8:43pm - 8:45pm Break

8:45pm - 8:53pm People's Forum

8:53pm - 8:56pm Closing Statement (Leader of the Opposition)

8:56pm - 8:59pm Closing Statement (Prime Minister)

8:59pm - 9:00pm Moderator Closing Statement

END OF LIVE COVERAGE. FORUM MAY CONTINUE AT THE VENUE UPON THE CONSENT OF *BOTH* CANDIDATES.