THREE rounds of town hall-style debates proposed by the National Communications Network (NCN) have been cancelled after non-confirmation from A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.A statement from the Network yesterday said, “The National Communications Network Incorporated has been forced to abandon its series of debates, which was scheduled to commence today Wednesday, April 1, 2015, after exhaustive efforts failed to get all stakeholders on board.”

It added that the debate series is aimed at allowing the two main contesting political parties in the general and regional elections and other stakeholders to ventilate their positions on several national issues, including the sugar and bauxite industries and crime and security.
NCN, through its Chief Executive Officer Mrs Molly Hassan, dispatched letters of invitation to the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee; APNU+AFC presidential candidate, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, and other stakeholders to participate in the debate.
The Network said in its statement: “While the PPP General Secretary and other stakeholders have indicated their interest to participate, the political Opposition did not respond to the invitation.
“We are extremely disappointed that the political Opposition has not responded to our invitation to participate in this debate series, as the intention was to create an open forum for the examination of the issues on the basis of facts, opinions and perceptions.
“Participants including the Executive, the Opposition and civil society would have been able to debate the issues and present ideas and plans for the health and wellbeing of the sectors, as well as the improvement of the state of security of the Guyanese society.”

SIMILAR INVITATIONS
NCN, like other sections of the State media, has borne the brunt of criticisms from the political Opposition regarding opportunities to be featured.
However, NCN has over the years extended similar invitations to the major political parties and other stakeholders in Guyana.
“The Opposition continually eludes these invitations and on many occasions, provides little or no explanation. As a matter of fact, during our 2012 debate series, the Opposition began participating, but subsequently pulled out without providing a reason for abandoning the greater part of the debate series,” the NCN statement said.
The first debate was slated to be held at the University of Guyana, Tain Campus, yesterday, April 1.
It was meant to deal with the future of the Sugar Industry. The second debate in ‘Round One’ was scheduled for April 8, where political representatives were expected to debate national security at the Theatre Guild in Georgetown. The last debate in Round One was set for the Linden Concert Hall, on April 15, where issues pertinent to the bauxite industry would have been addressed.
Relative to the issues up for debate in Round Two, Granger was being invited to make recommendations, while the logistics of Round Three were to be fine-tuned.
In the initial plan, invited panelists would have also been given equal time to present arguments before a live audience comprising members of the public, some of whom would have had the opportunity to pose questions through a live and transparent lottery selection process.
Political observers contend that the forced cancellation of the debates, leading up to the May 11 polls, is unfortunate.