KINGSTON, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter Phillips has joined calls for a public debate between the candidates in the upcoming Portland Eastern by-election.

PNP’s Damion Crawford is contesting the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Ann-Marie Vaz for the seat, which became vacant when the sitting Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield was brutally murdered at his home in the parish.

The PNP, in a statement yesterday, said calls for a debate have been getting louder as several letter writers to the national newspapers have added their voices to those in the constituency requesting the face-off.

Addressing a large gathering of Portland Eastern residents in Prospect on Sunday, Dr Phillips said the constituents have been asking for and deserve to see the candidates vying to represent them stand together and present their plans so the electors have a fair chance of making the right selection.

The Opposition leader questioned the circumstances that could lead someone to seek to represent people but remains “unwilling to give interviews or face the people to answer questions posed about their plans for the constituency”.

“You have a choice between a Member of Parliament who you hear talk, and he has no water in his mouth. And, he is clear, and you understand him. And you have a choice between someone else who they won’t talk. I ask myself how are you going to represent people and you can’t talk for them?” he said.

The by-election is set for April 4.

Crawford, who the party noted has always been available to the press, has accepted an invitation from the student body of Portland’s tertiary institution, the College of Agriculture Science and Education (CASE) to present his ideas for the constituency.

He will address the CASE students at the institution at 7:00 pm tomorrow.