Calls for leaders’ debate intensify as campaigns heat up

“I’m looking him in the eye and I’m giving him one more challenge. Mr Ex-Prime Minister [Philip J. Pierre], I’m waiting for the date so we can have a debate on our policies.”

With those words, United Workers Party (UWP) Political Leader Allen Chastanet reignited calls for a national debate, urging Prime Minister Pierre to engage in what he described as an “open and honest conversation” on the future of the country. Addressing supporters in Anse La Raye following the announcement of the December 1 general election, Chastanet told the crowd that Saint Lucians “deserve a debate between political leaders” and challenged the Prime Minister to meet him at the podium.

Interestingly, the Opposition Leader’s callout came just six days after Prime Minister Pierre publicly signalled a willingness to participate in a televised national debate, on the condition that it be grounded in clear structure and facts.

“Well-structured debates are very good,” Pierre said at the time. “But you can only debate when your debater is living in the world of reality. How are you going to debate with people who just say figures – 20 per cent, 40 per cent – with no facts?”

This is not the first time such an idea has been floated. In previous election cycles, similar calls were made, but nothing materialised. With just 21 days of campaigning this time around, many believe the window is simply too narrow for a meaningful debate to be arranged. Still, political observers argue that a televised showdown could offer voters rare clarity on critical policies by pressing leaders on funding, timelines and feasibility in ways that rallies and soundbites often do not.

Ajani Lebourne, a development professional focused on youth, politics and leadership, is among those calling for a leaders’ debate. “One thing I hope that we’re able to get is a debate, at least between the two political leaders, so people can have a fair chance to decide on who they want to take the country forward,” Lebourne told St. Lucia Times. He believes political leaders must prioritise dialogue that goes beyond their bases and speaks to national interests.

He warns that voter participation is slipping and that unless parties reverse that trend, the country may be headed towards a democracy sustained only by party loyalists and not the broader citizenry. “More and more, you talk to young people and they don’t feel confident, they don’t feel enthusiastic about politics, they don’t feel that our system has really delivered to them,” he said.

Saint Lucia Rhodes Scholar and St. Lucia Times contributor Rahym Augustin-Joseph emphasised that what’s truly needed is a deeper space for public interrogation of party platforms. “Even beyond the debate, I think in a very real way that there must be some avenue in which some detailed analysis is done on all of the policy prescriptions that have been promised by the political party, or at least some of the major ones,” he said. “Because people are concerned, at least in my mind, not only about what you promised, but how you’re going to do it, and what are some of the trade-offs that you’re going to make to be able to do it.”

He noted that in this election, the electorate will likely weigh more personal and immediate concerns: whether they feel safer, whether the economy has tangibly improved their lives, and whether the leadership styles on offer inspire confidence. While he acknowledged that both parties are trying to present their policy visions, he believes voters are increasingly demanding more than slogans; they want substance.

“It’s less about the policy and more about the personalities advocating for the policy,” he said, adding that “leadership will be front and centre on the ballot.”

And that, both men argue, is why a national debate remains so crucial, especially at a time when trust in political institutions is waning.

As Lebourne put it, “It’s not just about your party or the people who tell you what you want to hear, it’s about a country.”