Presidential election 2020 |09 October 2020
The three presidential candidates: (l to r) Wavel Ramkalawan, Danny Faure and Alain St Ange
All set for first live Presidential Debate tonight
By Marie-Anne Lepathy
The first of two live debates between the three presidential candidates contesting the forthcoming election on October 22-24, will take place this evening starting at 7pm on the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) television.
The three candidates are Wavel Ramkalawan of Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS), Danny Faure of United Seychelles (US) and Alain St Ange of One Seychelles.
The debates will be live on SBC 1, Radyo Sesel, Paradise FM, and on SBC’s YouTube channel.
The second debate will take place on October 16.
The two debates which are to be 90 minutes long are being organised by the SBC TV.
The debates, which will be opened by a presenter, will be managed by moderators Judge Bernardin Renaud and freelance journalist Patsy Canaya.
The debates aim to give the candidates the opportunity to answer questions from members of the public on how through their policies, strategies they plan to address key issues and how they plan to address challenges if they are elected president.
The debates also aim to help educate and further inform members of the public so they can better choose a candidate only days before election day itself.
With regard to the two debates, both will have 8 themes which have been chosen based on the number of questions received related to that theme. The themes include education, health, economy, among others.
The chief executive of the SBC, Berard Dupres, said yesterday afternoon that the committee set up to receive questions from the public received some 700 questions.
Mr Dupres said that the preparations for the debates have gone very well and everything is set and ready for this evening’s first debate.
“We conducted a few rehearsals and technically we are ready. The candidates have been well briefed and they are coming in at around 6pm for the last briefing before the start of the debate at 7pm sharp,” Mr Dupres said.
He added that there will be an audience of 20 people who will include the vice- presidential candidates.
He added that the preparations, set-up and sitting arrangements have been carried out following public health guidelines in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Dupres noted that the candidates and the moderators will not be using face masks during the debate but members of the audience and all SBC staff will be wearing face masks.
Security measures along the Hermitage Road leading to the SBC station will be stepped up and traffic will be controlled.