Premadasa renews call to Rajapaksa for open debate before polls

Sajith Premadasa (right) invited Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take the challenge of facing the nation together

• Sends formal letter of invitation for a one-on-one debate
• Says this would give voters opportunity to judge abilities, vision & character of the two candidates

National Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has written to SLFPA presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, inviting him to an open debate to give voters the opportunity to weigh the abilities of the two candidates, their character and vision based on their responses at such a debate.

“I hope you would agree with me that this is the democratic right of our citizens to be well informed about their choices. There is no better opportunity for candidates to weigh candidates’ abilities, character and vision. Indeed, the way candidates respond to their opponents on their feet is often seen as an indication of how they would govern under adversity or respond in a crisis,” Premadasa said in the letter. Copies of the letter were released to the media yesterday.

Premadasa invited Rajapaksa to take the challenge of facing the nation together and putting their respective policies and vision to the test on a public stage.

“Let us show the public that we value the democratic tradition of spirited debate and that we encourage voters to asses us critically. Let us show them we have nothing to hide and we are not afraid,” Premadasa said.

The NDF candidate challenged Rajapaksa to a debate during a public rally two weeks ago, but there has been no response from the latter so far.

Premadasa said in the letter that he hopes that there would be a response to his formal written invitation from Rajapaksa.