Jamaica Debates Commission Elects New Chairman & Vice-Chairman

Kingston Jamaica, March 21,2025: The Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC) has elected Zip FM Deputy Chairman Brian Schmidt as its new Chairman, and Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Past President Michael McMorris as its new Vice-Chairman. The elections were among the highlight of the JDC’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday March 20. 2025.
The JDC, which has organized political debates ahead of General Elections (since 2002) and ahead of Local Government Elections since 2012, is a Jamaican Registered Charitable Organization and a founding member of Debates International, which brings together some 40 debate-organizing institutions in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Activities of the JDC are guided by a board of 6 Commissioners (directors) representing comprising three each nominated by the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and Media Association Jamaica (MAJ). The JCC-nominated directors are Noel daCosta, Anthony Chang and Michael McMorris, while MAJ-nominated directors are Brian Schmidt, Jennifer Grant and Claire Grant. The Commissioners are supported by a team of Resource Personnel. Commissioners and Resource Personnel are all volunteers.
The new JDC Chairman has expressed his gratitude to his predecessor, Noel daCosta, for his outstanding stewardship of the organization over the past election cycle and for his commitment to the mission and work of the JDC since its inception in 2002.

The JDC is now engaged in preliminary activities to organize election debates ahead of imminent General Elections due to take place ahead of or during the last quarter of 2025.