The Jamaica Debates Commission stages a February 17 Local Government election debate with six political party representatives and a moderator and two journalist/panelists. Topics included whether the current local government system needs re-engineering and greater accountability. Photo courtesy of Jamaica Debates Commission. Photo courtesy of Jamaica Debates Commission.
Jamaica has been a cornerstone of Caribbean democracies since gaining independence in 1962. Civic and political leaders have expressed increasing concern, however, about declining engagement in political life and the impact on the country’s progress and ensuring elected officials are responsive to citizens. This disengagement has been evidenced in voter turnout, which has reached historic lows for national (37%) and municipal elections (29.6%), particularly among young people.
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To help counter this concerning trend, the Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC), the global gold standard of debate organizations, staged two issue-driven debates for Local Government Elections called for February 26, 2024, by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
As JDC Vice Chairman Brian Schmidt stated, “The Commission’s mission is to organize neutral forums where candidates and party leaders can discuss the issues that matter to Jamaicans and help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.”
A coalition of the Media Association of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce drawing on deep experience since its founding in 2002, the JDC organized the debates on February 15 and 17-- with just 14 days lead-time. The forums featured a unique, dynamic team format with each of the two participating political parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People’s National Party (PNP), naming three participants and included a gender-balanced team of moderators and journalist panelists who independently prepared and asked the party representatives questions. The public was also able to participate in real-time by submitting questions live via a specialized social media panelist. The debates were broadcast by 17 TV, radio, live-streaming and cable outlets, including the top three TV networks (TVJ, CVM and PBCJ).
The JDC debates were key in focusing the election campaign on substantive, daily concerns of Jamaican voters. A panelist in the first debate asked the participants about the absence of local government policy platforms, which neither party had published. After the debate, the media followed up, leading the parties to respond and present manifestos within days, a positive break from past election practices. The debate also highlighted a range of pressing issues, including alleged corruption in public contracting, the condition of public markets, and garbage and sewage management that were subsequently covered by the media (including the front page of the press) to inform the public. In this respect, the debates put the parties on record on a range of issues, which will allow them to be held accountable after the elections. As a result of the debates and subsequent media coverage, Jamaican voters went to the polls more informed about the candidates they had to choose from and more aware of the role that municipal elected officials play in addressing the challenges that they face day-to-day.
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In a national public opinion survey, registered voters underscored the importance of the debates in their decision-making. Nearly 55% said the debates helped clarify the position of the parties on critical issues; about 60% said the debates addressed issues of importance to them; some 36% underscored that the forums helped them determine which candidate to support and 16% changed who they intended to vote for. Approximately 67% of the respondents said Local Government debates should be mandatory, 21% were neutral and only 8% disagreed.
To maximize the civic education aspect of the debates beyond two 90-minute events -- the JDC organized a social media campaign that helped explain the role of local government. During the debates, the JDC also facilitated 20 virtual debate watch parties across the island's 14 parishes. This provided 250 primarily young Jamaicans, including members of the deaf community, with an opportunity to view and discuss the issues raised in the debates in non-partisan, moderated forums.
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Participants reported the questions asked by the debate panelists were “clear and relevant.” Most felt more “empowered to engage in political discourse with their social peers and others” and want to see more moderated, non-partisan events where they could “learn more without politicizing issues.” Participants also want to be included in municipal decision-making that impacts their communities going forward and said they are better able to hold elected officials more accountable as a result of the discussions.
NDI and the US-based Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) provided on the ground technical support for the debates in Kingston, which received high marks from the CPD’s executive producer. NDI also participated in TV and radio interviews with JDC members to promote the debates and underscore the group’s expertise as demonstrated in the assistance it provides to debate groups in the Caribbean as well as Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa.
Authors: Matt Dippell, Deputy Director of the Latin America and Caribbean team and Alanna Margulies, Project Assistant for the Government Relations and Communication team
This program is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Award No. 72053220LA00001. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.
