Jack: Commission must clear air on notes, or No more debates for me

TOP leader Ashworth Jack says he will not participate in any further debates organised by the T&T Debates Commission. That is until they cleared the air on the issue of him using notes in last week’s historic THA leaders’ debate. Jack was asked about the issue yesterday after an allegation by Tobago Platform for Truth leader Hochoy Charles that Jack used notes in the debate.

Jack reiterated yesterday the commission had told candidates they could make notes during the debate and had provided pen and paper for this. He said he had also walked with his own pen and paper to take notes. He said the commission should have cleared the air on the issue and he wanted it to do so urgently.

Jack said after the allegation last week he explained the situation his position  many times to reporters when asked about it and had even showed a reporter the paper and notes he had made during the debate. He said the commission should have dealt with the issue immediately when it arose.

Catherine Kumar, CEO of the T&T Chamber of Commerce which set up the Debates Commission, said the commission’s position was that it had not received an official request from any party to pronounce on the issue, and the parties all knew where to contact the commission.

Kumar said they had not come to the commission. “We’ve said all we have to say on this and we have no further comment,” Kumar added, noting the commission had spoken on the issue last week after it arose.