Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Editorial
August 11, 2015

What about election debates leading up to the general elections?

In our country, the fact that we hold regular general elections is equated with democracy, as if elections by themselves constitute the sole barometer of the democratic health of the society. While there is no doubt that the holding of regular elections in fair and free conditions is essential to the expression of the democratic will of our citizens, ensuring that they are held in an atmosphere which allows for proper scrutiny of parties and candidates contesting such polls is equally vital.{{more}}

Ever since the introduction of the party system in the mid-fifties, deficiencies in mass communication resulted in parties having to hold regular public meetings to inform the general public of their policies and activities. In some cases, notably during the era of the late Ebenezer Theodore Joshua, the weekly political meeting in the Market Square in Kingstown (the Mecca of local politics until its destruction a couple decades ago) became a political institution in itself.

This provided the opportunity for ongoing contact between politicians and people and for more familiarity with the policies of the party and with its leaders. As communication technology evolved, with more access to newspapers, radio and television, this form of regular contact became less and less a priority. Parties today rely more on their daily radio programmes, columns in newspapers and the use of social media to get their message across, occasionally venturing to mass rallies.

These mass rallies and election campaigns themselves have been characterized by the emphasis on the entertainment aspect, with a danger that the policy aspect could be subsumed. In addition, the late issuance of election manifestos often make them ineffective as a means of examining what political parties stand for and propose.

How then, do we provide for more thorough scrutiny of parties and candidates? In some countries, a system of pre-election debates at the leadership level has been introduced. This is far from perfect and as recent developments in the USA and Trinidad and Tobago have shown, not without challenges of their own, but it is certainly worth trying.

As we move closer to elections, it is estimated that perhaps up to 90 per cent of those who will vote have already made up their minds one way or another. The remaining 10 per cent, however, may well be the deciding factor in the elections. Properly-conducted debates could help these personsto make up their minds and also motivate those not inclined to vote to change their minds in that regard.

Thus, we would advocate for the holding of such debates at the leadership level. In our case, we propose to go beyond the maximum leader (the Gonsalves versus Eustace scenario) and extend the debate to say three leading officials from the contesting parties. This would give senior figures of the parties an opportunity to address national issues on a more sober basis outside the traditional party broadcasts and the regular Parliamentary stand-offs. That can only be good for the country, for the politicians themselves and for democracy as a whole.

Of course, there will be a host of logistical and organizational issues to be resolved – who will organize the debates, what form will they take, who can be entrusted with moderation, etc. But these are practical questions which we are more than capable of answering if we would only make our commitment to such an initiative. Can we?

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok