#BTColumn – The debate – an analysis

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Grenville Phillips II

The debate is finally over, and criticism of the debate has already begun. Allow me to share some inside information to facilitate a fair criticism.

The moderators assigned to the debate were David Ellis and Julius Gittens. They have demonstrated their capacity to ask relevant questions and manage debtors with diverse personalities and agendas.

When they later declined to participate (after the PdP pulled out, and the number of debates was reduced to one), someone had to moderate, or the debate would have been cancelled.

With time running out, Emmanuel Joseph stepped forward.

CBC facilitated the debate. The ideal situation would be for debaters to appear at CBC’s studios in The Pine, where they had the capacity to manage all foreseen risks associated with broadcasting a live and unscripted debate.

To have six potential debaters complying with the COVID-19 distancing protocols, CBC used the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

This was a logical choice given its proximity to CBC’s Pine studios.

At a preparatory meeting held to discuss the debate, the UPP, DLP and PdP requested several changes, which were generally accommodated.

Candidates were given a deadline to respond, so that the numbers could be confirmed and logistical decisions could be made. Before the deadline, Solutions Barbados, the BLP and the BFP agreed to participate.

After the deadline had passed, the UPP and DLP went to the media and said that they would not be participating.

While arrangements were being made for four debaters, the PdP, who had agreed to participate, later decided not to.

The candidates had three different and consistent styles of responding to questions posed. Toni Moore generally responded to questions at the level of Government policy.

I generally responded to questions at the level of implementation plans. Alex Mitchell generally responded to questions at the level of justness.

Judging

People tend to judge a debate performance by both the content and delivery of the responses. Some may weigh content higher than delivery and vice versa.

Toni generally provided reasonable content and good delivery. I thought that my content was good, but my delivery could have been better.

Alex did not pull any punches on his content, and his delivery was somewhere between mine and Toni’s.

Emmanuel Joseph stepped forward, at the eleventh hour, to do the job previously assigned to two professional moderators. He did a decent job.

He asked some questions that could not have been anticipated, many of which were submitted by the public.

We were literally and figuratively forced to answer unforeseen questions on our feet.

We could not ask for a few seconds to formulate a logical flow in our heads.

We just had to open our mouths and start speaking. We had to do this while appearing to be in control, and thinking of a logical flow of sufficient information in our heads, to allow us to speak fluently for two minutes. That is no easy task for those not used to debating.

All candidates who participated demonstrated the capacity to think on their feet and present a logical two-minute argument.

This was the first such political debate that any of us had ever participated in. I can understand why the UPP, DLP and PdP candidates were overcome with fear at the thought of being put in such a situation.

CBC did an excellent job under the circumstances. The cameras, lights, and technical personnel were not intrusive. I mostly forgot to look into the cameras and had to remind myself to do so.

Had the UPP, DLP and PdP confirmed their absence at a reasonable time, CBC could have accommodated the three candidates at their Pine studios, for which they had full management and technical control for an unscripted debate.

Had the professional moderators showed up, they could have managed the styles of each debater, and forced us to debate each other. There are many lessons that can be learnt by all parties.

I trust that this information allows people to better appreciate the challenges of the debate.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer, and the Solutions Barbados’ candidate for St George North.  He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com.