I think the original concept of having the debate was a worthy one. Giving the candidates a non-partisan public forum at which they can speak to important issues that they will face as leader as well as answer questions from the public is precedent setting. I know of no other time in the political history of Jamaica that this has happened and give the dog his due, it is to the credit of the PNP candidates that they even agreed to do this. That Portia feels she now has more important things to do or even more oddly, that a senior Minister of Government seems to have no control whatsoever over their own appointment schedule, is a separate issue.

Yes the party should know what their candidates are for but this is not just about the PNP. The winner will be the PM of Jamaica and will be PM at the time of the next general election so there is more at stake from the perspective of the general voting public. The voting public will "have their say" at that time...and very soon too. Let us hear from them.