Debates will not take place in the lead-up to next week’s General Election, with both parties pointing fingers at one another for where blame lies.

Both the One Bermuda Alliance and the Progressive Labour Party released statements last night following negotiations undertaken to try to schedule debates ahead of the vote on July 18.

In its party’s release, issued first, the PLP said that that the OBA had no interest in holding a leadership debate, instead favouring a series of ministerial and shadow ministerial debates.

“There’s nine days left and there is no time to organise such an event,” the PLP said.

Lynne Woolridge, chairwoman of the OBA, confirmed that the party had sought “multiple debates” involving the leaders and spokesmen on topics including finance, immigration and education.

“The PLP only wanted a debate between the leaders,” she said.

Both the PLP and Ms Woolridge said they were “disappointed”.

“We are disappointed that Premier Dunkley declined to debate Leader Burt,” the PLP said.

“It’s clear that Premier Dunkley is ducking the debate because he prefers not to talk about the OBA’s loss of 2,000 jobs, their mismanagement of a public education, and the skyrocketing cost of living under their watch.”

Ms Woolridge said: “We are disappointed that the Progressive Labour Party would not allow their shadow ministers to debate the OBA team.”

Addressing the PLP assertion that time did not allow for the multiple debate, Ms Woolridge said that the PLP “slowed up the process” by opting to respond to an OBA e-mail about the debates through conventional mail — a response that she said took five days to reach the OBA.

“As a result, there will be no inter-party debates,” she said.

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