….APNU, AFC declined the invitation, TUF did not respond
THE presidential debate organized by the National Communications Network (NCN) for tomorrow has been cancelled, due to non-interest displayed by all but one of the presidential candidates contesting the November 28 general and regional elections.
A statement from NCN last evening said that only the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has indicated its willingness to be part of the debate.
NCN on November 1 last wrote to the four candidates inviting them to the debate.
The NCN statement said that both the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had indicated in their responses their inability to participate, citing various reasons “we believe that are not substantial to not participate.”
And there has been no response from The United Force (TUF).
NCN has therefore decided that the debate will not take place.
NCN expressed regrets that the much-anticipated debate will not take place, “especially when some of the parties are claiming lack of access to the network.”
“This claim is also not true, since advertisements of all the parties are broadcast on the network,” the NCN statement concluded.
The PPP/C’s Donald Ramotar was part of a presidential debate at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen campus last Wednesday, when APNU supporters attempted to disrupt the proceedings.