Dear Editor,

It seems an obvious and clear strategy by the PNP to shield Mrs Portia Simspson Miller from the media. Anyone can see that most of the media briefings are being handled by Dr Peter Phillips or Bobby Pickersgill. Most of the utterances from Mrs Simpson Miller take place from the political platform. This is not good enough.

The latest episode has made it clear, when the PNP will not enter into a one-on-one debate between the party leaders. The PNP cannot be seriously contesting an election and expect to win and not contest a one-on-one with both leaders. This is political suicide.

If I am correct, the last Ian Boxill poll lists the undecided voters at 13 per cent. There are five young men in my family that fall in this category. They are between the ages of 18 and 25 and all are eligible to vote. Only two of them are employed, but none are diehards and all are waiting to see which party is coming up with the most credible plan to help young people get employment. There are many in Jamaica like these five young men.

It would be a dishonour to the nation not to have this one-on-one debate, as a forum such as this gets to the heart of the issues affecting the people, and it would show which party has the capacity to address these issues: job creation and development, public sector pension reform, public sector rationalisation, and tax reforms, come 2012.

Anyone can go on a political platform and make promises. Anyone can create a manifesto stating their objectives and agendas; but put them in a situation where they can articulate – how will you implement these? How will you finance these, and what are the implications for the fiscal deficit, etc, and you separate the men from the boys. Any party that is serious about winning the general election will have to capture about seven per cent of the undecided, and a public debate offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this. So I beg the PNP to reconsider its decision for the good of the nation.

P Harrison

phbravo2@gmail.com