And the rate of economic growth is the kind of thing that would come up in an informed national debate. As we told you yesterday, the Jamaica Debates Commission visited Belize this week to try and lay the groundwork for just such an effort. Today we asked the prime minister – very well in advance – if he would commit to such an effort:..
Jules Vasquez
"Would you in principle agree to have a national debate for the 2017 general elections with the leader of the opposition?"
Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"My God - this is 2013 and we're talking about 2017! (laughs) But first of all let me make the point that there have been debate certainly in terms at the City Council and there was a debate one time between Manuel Esquivel and Said Musa, so it's not as though it hasn't happened. Thereafter, I don't think that anyone was in principle against the notion of a debate but it was the question of the terms that would govern the debate and I believe that there was a failure to come to any mutual agreement. So in principle, absolutely - but it will be in the details."
In the past incumbent Prime Minister's and leaders of the opposition have agreed to debate – but a fully fleshed out multi-media debate between party leaders has never gotten off the ground because the details could never be agreed upon.
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