Curtis Dickinson confirms PLP leadership debate set to go ahead at weekend
Curtis Dickinson has insisted his head-to-head debate with David Burt, the Premier, will happen on Saturday – as long as the Progressive Labour Party leadership follows the rules of the contest.
Mr Dickinson was speaking as he attended a debate at CedarBridge last night between his de facto running mate, Renée Ming, and Walter Roban, the Deputy Premier, as they battled it out for the PLP’s No 2 post.
The former finance minister pulled out of a planned debate with the Premier at the last minute after claiming he had not been given the assurances he sought about the format and amid concerns over access to the list of delegates eligible to vote in the October 20 leadership election.
Asked if this weekend’s debate would happen, Mr Dickinson told The Royal Gazette: “Yes, Saturday is on schedule. As long as I get all the e-mails that I was supposed to get we’ll be fine. I think they’re the rules and the party is committed to following the rules.”
Mr Dickinson has already warned the PLP against any kind of “dirty tricks” aimed at damaging his campaign.
He said he was confident that Ms Ming, a former Cabinet minister, would do well in the election.
He said: “I think Renée will do a great job speaking her views.”
Mr Roban was in bullish mood as he arrived for the debate for the post of deputy leader at CedarBridge Academy.
He told The Royal Gazette: “I am here to discuss and debate ideas with my challenger and with members of the party. They will be the judges.”
Ms Ming said: “I am confident and I’m comfortable. It could go anyway, but I’m hopeful that we’ll be successful.”
PLP members in the hall said the debate was “businesslike”, with a moment of controversy coming when Ms Ming said she had not been given notice of two questions as had been agreed previously – something the PLP denied had happened.
The former national security minister repeatedly stressed the need for integrity in the party as she insisted the PLP should be less of a top-down organisation and more of a bottom-up one.
Mr Roban was said to be strongest on issues such as representing Bermuda abroad and the environmental agenda.
“Given there has been intense speculation in the public domain regarding the sharing of the Progressive Labour Party Annual General Conference 2022 delegates list with candidates for Party Leader and Deputy Party Leader, please note the following information regarding the dissemination of the delegates list:
On October 3, at 3.20pm the full list of delegates was sent to MP Curtis Dickinson.
On October 3, at 3.20pm the full list of delegates was sent to MP Renée Ming.
On October 3, at 7.17pm the full list of delegates was resent to MP Curtis Dickinson as he advised that he did not use the Gmail address that the original e-mail was sent to.
On October 4, at 10.43am the full list of delegates was sent to Party Leader David Burt.
On October 4, at 10.43am the full list of delegates was sent to Deputy Party Leader Walter Roban.
“We trust these facts will end the speculation that there has been any unfair advantage given to the incumbent Party Leader and Deputy Party Leader.”
When repeatedly asked by The Royal Gazette if it was democratic to ban the media and members of the public from the debates for the top two positions in government, Mr Burt refused to answer as he arrived for the debate.
Ms Ming suggested the system could be changed in the future, stating: “This is how the PLP has been for years. This is how the constitution is.
“Is it time to look at it? Maybe. But for now this is how it is.”
Mr Roban said: “This is a contest to choose the leader of the party and it is the business of the membership to participate in that process. That is clearly outlined in our constitution.
“It’s nothing new, and I believe the public respects that.”
Mr Dickinson said: “That’s a question for the party.”
Lawrence Scott, the transport minister, in an earlier interview with The Royal Gazette tried to claim the process was like the one used by the British Conservative Party when it chose Liz Truss as leader, and therefore prime minister, last month.
However, Ms Truss and her rival, Rishi Sunak, took part in numerous hustings for some of the 140,000 party members which were fully open to the media – as well as a number of televised debates.
Mr Scott said: “I would ask that question about the Westminster system in the UK.
“How is it that the new prime minister was elected under the same structure?
“Do the maths on the percentage of the UK population.
“It is democratic because they are electing a party leader – the party leader first.”
This afternoon the PLP said that following concerns surrounding some of the questions at the Deputy Leader's Debate, the Party would like to issue the following clarifying statement.
It said: "MP Ming and Deputy Leader Roban were sent the exact same questions at the exact same time. The moderator confirmed that he modified some of the questions without either candidates' advance knowledge. Both candidates were treated exactly the same."
The leadership elections will be decided by the votes of 122 branch delegates and 30 PLP MPs at the three-day party gathering being held next week.
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