AFTER a bruising debate on Thursday — which both parties claimed to have won — representatives of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) will face off at 9:00 pm today in the last of two debates in the lead-up to the February 26 Local Government Elections.

This evening, the debaters will focus on the role of municipal corporations including the approval of building permits, environmental protection, beach protection, and sanitation.

Tonight’s scheduled debaters for the JLP are councillor candidates Delroy Williams, Richard Vernon and Whitney Smith Currie.

The PNP is expected to take the stage with councillor candidates Andrew Swaby, Scean Barnswell and Kaydian Harty.

Tonight’s debate will build on Thursday’s clash in which debaters traded punches on several issues without providing a knock-out blow.

Both skirted the question of why they have not presented a manifesto to show what their plans were for the municipal operations.

The JLP’s Venesha Phillips was first on the draw, claiming that the party’s manifesto was ready, but failed to give a timeline for when it would be made public.

“The Jamaica Labour Party has in fact completed its manifesto. The manifesto will be made available soon. A manifesto is not a static document, it is a working document, and so you referenced 2016. We have to remain current and conversant with the issues of the people of Jamaica. The consultation has taken place and the manifesto has been completed and at the appropriate time will be made available to the people of Jamaica,” Phillips said.

Natalie Neita Garvey, who was one of three PNP representatives, also claimed that her party’s manifesto was completed and would also be published soon, but “there is more to a manifesto than just words and promises”.

The two teams also responded to the question if the direct election of mayors should be extended beyond the Portmore Municipal Corporation, to other corporations.

Neita Garvey was first to respond.

“It is clear that team PNP and the Government then in 2001 when we embarked on the consultations with the people of Portmore and it was through their determination along with the Government on the day that there should be a directly elected mayor. If we did not lose in 2007 that process would have continued because we understand the importance of giving the citizens their voice by being able to directly elect their own mayor,” said Neita Garvey.

Phillips, meanwhile, said her party was not opposed to directly elected mayors.

“We have had over 20 years of pilot and the PNP is still saying that when they get into office, they will go ahead with a directly elected mayor. The model in Portmore has not worked. As we said, we are not averse but we intend to engage the people,” she said.

Neita Garvey appealed to Jamaicans to vote for the PNP on February 26 and said it was her wish that the people would be persuaded to do so after the debates have ended.

“We are the party that believes that local government is what drives national development. We believe that the citizens are the best and most important unit that forms our national landscape. As such, this grassroots movement, born out of the bowels of the working-class people, we have always put the citizens first and we have always made sure that our policies and programmes are driven by the citizens’ needs and demands. In the 1990s, we developed the local government reform and that process is still the basis and foundation on which our local government still operates.

“During 2012 to 2016, we laid the three strategic laws and those laws were able to allow for there to be a modernisation of local government, but seven years, three months and four postponements later, we have still not seen the regulation for those laws to be enacted. Change is coming and we will be leading that change to have a better development for communities, better access and accountability,” declared Neita Garvey.

But the JLP’s Charles Sinclair had no doubt his party will beat the PNP at the polls.

“The Jamaica Labour Party is a proven performer. The JLP has achieved much at the central and local government levels. We have improved the quality of life of Jamaicans. Many of the achievements of this Administration was done without the imposition of new taxes from 2017. That is a tremendous achievement. From the perspective of local government I can list a few. In respect to roads, we have rehabilitated and fixed over 2,500 roads.

“When that $40-billion programme announced by the prime minister comes to fruition, your community roads will be dealt with and dealt with effectively and to your suit and satisfaction. We have improved the fire service by the acquisition of 40 new fire trucks. We have improved the garbage collection service with the acquisition of over 100 trucks. Come February 26, vote Jamaica Labour Party, put your X beside the bell and let us partner to build you and your community,” Charles said.