February 5: The proposed BBS debates between the Party Presidents and candidates have been called off after the Peoples' Democratic Party decided not to participate in the debates.

The BBS debates, which are separate from the ECB-sponsored debates, were intended to be interactive, with live questions from the public and questions from BBS moderators based on contributions received from the public through email (naquestions@bbs.com.bt) and fax.

BBS requests the public to continue sending in their questions, which the BBS will use in interviews with all willing party candidates during their campaign.

The PDP spokesperson Tashi Tshering said the ECB and BBS is organizing public debates in an extended and revised format as compared to the debates for the national council candidates.

He said their candidates believe that one such debate is adequate and in view of the limited time available would prefer to spend that time in the field with their constituents most of whom do not have access to TV.