The dates for this year’s political debates have been set.

They will be held on Saturday, August 23, Tuesday, August 26 and Thursday, August 28.

The Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC) announced the dates today.

It comes in the wake of criticism by the Peoples National Party that the Jamaica Labour Party had been causing undue delay with the scheduling of the debates.

In response, the JLP said while there was some miscommunication the PNP gave a false impression of the situation.

The JDC said the debates, which will be staged at the Creative Production and Training Centre in Kingston, will be broadcast live on radio and television, as well as be live streamed online.

JDC Chairman Brian Schmidt advised that representatives of the PNP and JLP, who attended a meeting with the organization earlier today, confirmed the dates.

In sequence, the debates will focus on social issues, the economy and will culminate in a leaders’ debate between Dr. Andrew Holness and Mark Golding.

The first and second debates will each feature three-person teams.

All three debates will last for 90 minutes.