It's Question Time!

After reading Taran Rampersad's commentary on the need for politicians to focus on the issues, and a facebook note from another friend calling for a weekly town hall meeting he called the Peoples' Parliament, I think an enterprising media house in T&T may be able to satisfy both needs with one solution.

Every Thursday evening from 10:35 p.m. (after the nightly news), except during Easter, Summer and Christmas breaks, the BBC's David Dimbleby, who knows a lot about history and politics, moderates a show called Question Time, which is exactly what you proposed. It is shown on the main BBC channel, BBC One, and also via their website (for free!).  They travel around so the show is carried live (or a few minutes delayed - but there is no editing) from a different town/constituency each week.

The public applies to attend the event, and those who attend submit their questions to David when they show up - so the public asks the questions and the panellists don't know what the questions are beforehand. Since questions are usually to do with national topics, or major topics affecting the region/town visited that week, all panellists must be aware of the main national issues.  As a result, while a party rep may deflect questions that a personal to a particular minister, they can't get away from saying what is their party's view on the issue and how their policies affect it.  So the nonsense that passes for the weekly T&T post-Cabinet Meeting press conference won't be accepted - if you are present on the panel, you must be prepared to answer even if you're not the direct line minister involved.

David selects the questions from the pool, and they are asked during the show by the audience members who submitted them. The panel is comprised of one representative from the government and one each from the two other main parties, a celebrity (e.g. comedian, artist, historian, writer, radio/tv show host host) and a major newspaper editor/columnist - so with 3 main parties, that's five people on the panel. If they go to a region where there's a devolved parliament, e.g. Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, they get reps from the main parties there - so I'd imagine if they go to Tobago, the local version would have reps from the main Tobago parties, e.g. TOP.

By having all the parties' reps there, plus two outsiders, it allows the discussion to focus on issues, as any base, irrational accusation is promptly pounced on and the maker of such accusations looks like a fool. The moderator is also allowed to ask follow-up questions to challenge any statement made by the panellists and reels in any panellist who strays off-topic.  After at least two of the panellists have answered the main question, the moderator asks members of the audience to either comment or ask other related questions (so BBC staff run around with mikes on booms; you don't have people queuing up for one microphone in the crowd).

In effect, you get weekly informal debates on issues, not emotional, nonsensical rhetoric. Lies that would be applauded on campaign platforms or in Parliament would be immediately challenged.  Panellists won't get away with unsubstantiated claims.

It would be fantastic if a T&T TV station, preferably C TV (only because, unlike TV6, C TV carries its shows live over the Internet for free), hosts this.  It may help local politics to mature a bit.  Initially, I suspect you might get some nonsensical comments from both panellists and the audience, but if others immediately, and respectfully, point out how ridiculous those comments are - remember, you don't abuse the person, you address their comment/issue - eventually, the level of debate would rise.

It is reality TV at its best, but with substance you can sink your mind into.