Jamaica Debates Commission
Past Debates
Between 2002 and 2020, the JDC has staged 4 rounds of pre-General Election Debates, two sets of pre-Local government Election Debates and 3 panel discussions. These comprised:
2002- General Election Debates | 2003- Panel Discussions | 2007- General Election Debates | 2011- General Election Debates| 2012- Local Government Debates | 2016 - Local Government Debates | 2020 - General Election Debates
2002 The Leaders Debate
Date: October 10, 2002
Debaters: Mr. P.J. Patterson and Mr. Edward Seaga
Date: October 10, 2002
Debaters: Mr. P.J. Patterson and Mr. Edward Seaga
2003 Panel - Growth Prospects for Tourism, Exports, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Services
Date: May 29, 2003
Panelists:
Date: May 29, 2003
Panelists:
2003 Panel - Educating for the New Economy: The Way Forward
Date: October 2, 2003
Panelists: Noel Monteith (PNP), Anthony Johnson (JLP), Wentworth Gabbidon (Jamaica Teachers' Association), Jerome Miles (Employers Federation)
Date: October 2, 2003
Panelists: Noel Monteith (PNP), Anthony Johnson (JLP), Wentworth Gabbidon (Jamaica Teachers' Association), Jerome Miles (Employers Federation)
2003 Panel - Tourism: The Way Forward
Date: October 29, 2003
Panelists: Dr. Wykeham McNeil (PNP), Edmund Bartlett (JLP), John Issa (Superclubs), Paul Pennicook (Director of Tourism)
Date: October 29, 2003
Panelists: Dr. Wykeham McNeil (PNP), Edmund Bartlett (JLP), John Issa (Superclubs), Paul Pennicook (Director of Tourism)
2007 Social Issues Debate
Date: August 8, 2007
Debaters: Dr. Ken Baugh (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP).
Date: August 8, 2007
Debaters: Dr. Ken Baugh (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP).
2007 Economic Issues Debate
Date: August 10, 2007.
Debaters: Dr. Omar Davies (PNP) and Mr. Audley Shaw (JLP)
Date: August 10, 2007.
Debaters: Dr. Omar Davies (PNP) and Mr. Audley Shaw (JLP)
2007 Leadership Issues Debate
Debaters: August 11, 2007
Debaters: Mr. Bruce Golding (JLP) and Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller (PNP).
Debaters: August 11, 2007
Debaters: Mr. Bruce Golding (JLP) and Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller (PNP).
2011 Social Issues Debate (from a youth perspective)
Date: December 12, 2011
Debaters: Dr. Saphire Longmore (JLP), Marlene Malahoo Forte (JLP), Warren Newby (JLP) and Dr. Dayton Campbell (PNP), Lisa Hanna (PNP) and Raymond Pryce (PNP)
Date: December 12, 2011
Debaters: Dr. Saphire Longmore (JLP), Marlene Malahoo Forte (JLP), Warren Newby (JLP) and Dr. Dayton Campbell (PNP), Lisa Hanna (PNP) and Raymond Pryce (PNP)
2011 Finance & Economy
Date: December 15, 2011
Debaters: Mr.Audley Shaw (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP)
Date: December 15, 2011
Debaters: Mr.Audley Shaw (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP)
2011 Leadership Issues
Date: December 20, 2011
Debaters: Mr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller (PNP)
Date: December 20, 2011
Debaters: Mr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller (PNP)
2012 Local Government Management & Reform Debate:
Date: March 22, 2012.
Debaters were: Desmond McKenzie, Robert Montague & Milton Brown (JLP) and Noel Arscott, Brenda Ramsey & Angela Brown-Burke (PNP)
Date: March 22, 2012.
Debaters were: Desmond McKenzie, Robert Montague & Milton Brown (JLP) and Noel Arscott, Brenda Ramsey & Angela Brown-Burke (PNP)
2016 Local Government Policy & How It Affects You
Date: November 16, 2016
Debaters: Mr. Desmond McKenzie, Ms. Kenisha Allen & Mr. Charles Sinclair (JLP); Mr. Donovan Mitchell, Mrs. Angella Brown Burke & Mr. Everton Fisher (PNP)
Date: November 16, 2016
Debaters: Mr. Desmond McKenzie, Ms. Kenisha Allen & Mr. Charles Sinclair (JLP); Mr. Donovan Mitchell, Mrs. Angella Brown Burke & Mr. Everton Fisher (PNP)
2016 Local Government At Work
Date: November 23, 2016
Debaters: Mr. Richard Creary, Mr. Milton Brown & Mr. Delroy Williams (JLP); Ms. Venesha Phillips, Mr. Scean Barnswell & Mr. Eugene Kelly (PNP).
Date: November 23, 2016
Debaters: Mr. Richard Creary, Mr. Milton Brown & Mr. Delroy Williams (JLP); Ms. Venesha Phillips, Mr. Scean Barnswell & Mr. Eugene Kelly (PNP).
2020 Social Issues Debate
Date: August, 25 2020
Debaters (PNP): Lisa Hanna, Raymond Pryce, Dayton Campbell
Debaters (JLP): Floyd Green, Kamina Johnson-Smith, Christopher Tufton
2020 Finance & Economy Debate
Date: August 27, 2020
Debaters: Dr. Nigel Clarke (JLP) and Mark Golding (PNP)
Date: August 27, 2020
Debaters: Dr. Nigel Clarke (JLP) and Mark Golding (PNP)
2020 Leadership Debate
Date: August 29, 2020
Debaters: Mr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP)
Date: August 29, 2020
Debaters: Mr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Dr. Peter Phillips (PNP)
Local Government Policy And How It Affects You
Date: February 15, 2024
Debaters: Mr. Charles Sinclair, Mr. Richard Creary & Ms. Venesha Phillips (JLP); Mrs. Natalie Neita Garvey, Mr. Dennis Gordon & Mr. Allan Bernard (PNP)
Date: February 15, 2024
Debaters: Mr. Charles Sinclair, Mr. Richard Creary & Ms. Venesha Phillips (JLP); Mrs. Natalie Neita Garvey, Mr. Dennis Gordon & Mr. Allan Bernard (PNP)
Local Government at Work
Date: February 17, 2024
Debaters: Mr. Delroy Williams, Mr. Richard Vernon & Mr. Desmond McKenzie (JLP); Mr. Andrew Swaby, Mr. Scean Barnswell & Ms. Kadian Harty (PNP)
Date: February 17, 2024
Debaters: Mr. Delroy Williams, Mr. Richard Vernon & Mr. Desmond McKenzie (JLP); Mr. Andrew Swaby, Mr. Scean Barnswell & Ms. Kadian Harty (PNP)
SOCIAL ISSUES DEBATE
Date: SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2025
Debaters:SOCIAL ISSUES - Mr. Pearnel Charles Jr., Mrs. Kamina Johnson Smith & Mr. Matthew Samuda (JLP); Mr. Damian Crawford, Mr. Raymond Price & Mrs. Sophia Frazer-Binns (PNP)
Date: SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2025
Debaters:SOCIAL ISSUES - Mr. Pearnel Charles Jr., Mrs. Kamina Johnson Smith & Mr. Matthew Samuda (JLP); Mr. Damian Crawford, Mr. Raymond Price & Mrs. Sophia Frazer-Binns (PNP)
THE ECONOMY
Date: Tuesday, AUGUST 26, 2025
Debaters:THE ECONOMY - Mrs. Fayval Williams, Dr. Christopher Tufton & Ms. Dana Morrison Dixon (JLP); Mr. Julian Robinson, Mr. Peter Bunting & Ms. Kisha Anderson (PNP)
Date: Tuesday, AUGUST 26, 2025
Debaters:THE ECONOMY - Mrs. Fayval Williams, Dr. Christopher Tufton & Ms. Dana Morrison Dixon (JLP); Mr. Julian Robinson, Mr. Peter Bunting & Ms. Kisha Anderson (PNP)
LEADERS DEBATE
Date: THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
Debaters: Dr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Mr. Mark Golding (PNP)
Date: THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
Debaters: Dr. Andrew Holness (JLP) and Mr. Mark Golding (PNP)