Business leaders plan first-ever debate, but candidates yet to confirm

Santo Domingo.- The country’s young business leadersgrouped in ANJE on Sunday announced the first-ever presidential debate on April18, noting that the country’s political maturity makes it possible.

Nonetheless ANJE president Osvaldo Oller Bolanos didn’tspecify whether any of the presidential candidates have confirmed their attendancein the planned debate.

He said there’ll be a debate of mayoral candidates from theNational District and Santiago on April 5, and one with Senate hopefuls fromSanto Domingo and Santiago on the 7th of that month.

"We feel that there’s political maturity to stage theseelectoral debates; a Greenberg-Diario Libre survey says that 74% of thepopulation wants and demands these debates," Oller said.

He said ANJE is creating “neutral” space for candidates toattend the debate proposed by the entity to present their ideas and proposals.

When Diario Libre editor-in-chief Adriano Miguel Tejada askedhim about confirmation by candidates Oller said invitations were sent all ofthem on March 2 to confirm their participation.