From left, Simpson Miller and Golding

Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer

Despite recent poll findings placing him as the underdog to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding is challenging her to a series of debates ahead of the upcoming general election.

Mr. Golding, raring to match debating skills with the charismatic Prime Minister, told The Sunday Gleaner that he would welcome having "one-a-week" and not just after the date of the election is announced. Apparently bolstered by favourable opinion poll findings, the Prime Minister on the weekend alerted party functionaries to prepare themselves for a general election.

The opportunity for Golding to debate Simpson Miller might be presented if a privately-funded effort to put on the debates is accepted by the two major political parties. Both have acknowledged receiving an invitation from the National Debate Commission to participate in pre-election debates.

Christopher Castriota, communications officer with the governing People's National Party acknowledged that the party had received a proposal to engage in the debates. The matter was being carefully considered, Castriota said.

'Lack of direction'

Appearing unfazed by the recent slew of unfavourable poll results, Mr. Golding decried the Prime Minister's performance, citing a "lack of direction" and a failure to define her leadership. "Her prime ministership has to be about more than dipping into the Housing Trust and dipping into the National Insurance Fund," scoffed the Opposition Leader.

Ironically, Mrs. Simpson Miller gets less favourable ratings than her predecessor, P.J. Patterson, from Mr. Golding. Patterson, he said, was always able to "hold a cohesive organisation of government together" and give a clear indication of the direction in which his administration was headed, even if there was discomfort with some of his policy choices. On the other hand, Golding claimed, there was no such direction or cohesiveness to the current administration.