The PNP and JLP have clashed over the blacklisting by the PNP, of journalists from Nationwide News Network, NNN.
Tauna Thomas reports.
The PNP have told the Jamaica Debates Commission they will not participate in the debates if any journalist from NNN is listed among those asking questions of debaters across the three debates.
The PNP said NNN reporters Ricardo Brooks and Tauna Thomas were unwelcome additions to the slate of questioners in the debates.
The party went further.
It told the Commission that the presence of George Davis is a deal breaker, noting that any debate that Davis is a part of, in any capacity, will be boycotted by the PNP.
The PNP has also trained its fire on RJR Host, Emily Shields.
Shields is not understood to be part of the lineup of questioners and moderators.
But the PNP says given her past association with NNN, it would boycott any debate she’s a part of.
This position appears to underline how vehemently the PNP is opposed to anyone with any affiliation to NNN participating in the debates.
It’s understood the JLP went into last Friday’s meeting with the Debates Commission with no block list.
The party is understood to have told the Commission that all journalists from all media entities should be free to participate in the three debates and that it had no objection to any individual or media house.
But the PNP, represented by Colin Campbell, made it clear it would not participate if any NNN journalist was on the list of hosts and moderators.
That was when the JLP reportedly hit back, saying that given the PNP’s objections, it would then have to object to certain individuals being present.
The PNP have issued a statement condemning what they say is a breach of protocol by the JLP for issuing a press release about the private deliberations of the Debates Commission, concerning the selection of the questioning and moderating panel.
The JLP fired back, denying it issued any such media release.
The Jamaica Observer has since published an article clarifying that the JLP issued no statement about the private deliberations of the Debates Commission.
English (US) ·