Dear Editor,
An opinion survey conducted in mid-July by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) has found that Assembly Speaker Ralph Ramkarran and former Minister Moses Nagamootoo are the most liked and least disliked politicians respectively among PPP presidential hopefuls, with the highest favourability ratings for the next election. They are well liked not only among traditional PPP supporters but also among many supporters of other political parties. The poll also finds mixed views on whether the delegates to the PPP Congress this weekend should address the issue of who should be the party’s presidential and prime ministerial candidates.
NACTA is a New York-based polling and research group with no affiliation with any political party and has been conducting opinion surveys regularly in the Caribbean on social and political issues. The latest survey was conducted in mid-July to find out peoples’ views on a host of current issues. The latest survey interviewed 602 individuals (272 Indians, 186 Africans, 84 Mixed, 60 others) representing the diversity of the population. It was co-ordinated by Vishnu Bisram, a political scientist, pollster, educator and newspaper columnist in New York.
Asked if they think the delegates to this weekend’s PPP Congress should discuss the process in which the party’s prime ministerial and presidential candidates should be selected, 41% said yes, 33% said no, and 26% said they were not sure.
According to NACTA’s latest survey, House Speaker Ramkarran and former Minister Nagamootoo share the honours for the most likeable presidential hopefuls in the ruling PPP for the next election due in 2011. Voters were asked if their opinion of several PPP stalwarts was positive (favourable) or negative (unfavourable) or if they didn’t know enough (Not Sure) of the person to form an overall opinion.
The positive and negative rating of an individual is not the same as the person’s job performance approval rating but rather how the public views the individual in general. The positive and negative ratings of an individual give an indication of how well liked a person is or his or her “electability.” It is a standard measurement device of presidential candidates in America. The higher the negative rating, the lower the chance of getting elected and vice versa. Generally speaking, politicians with very high positive ratings are well liked and those with high negative ratings are not liked, reducing their prospect of carrying a party to victory in an election.
In the case of the PPP politicians people were polled about, Ramkarran had the highest favourable (positive) rating at 63% while his nearest rival Nagamootoo has the lowest negative rating. Ramkarran has a negative rating of 25% while Nagamootoo has a lower negative rating of 22% and a favourable rating of 60%. Since the poll has a margin of error of 4%, Ramkarran and Nagamootoo are in a statistical dead heat for likeability.
They are trailed by Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud with a positive rating of 52% and negative of 34%, PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar with a positive of 49% and a negative of 32, and Culture Minister Frank Anthony with a 47% positive and 30% negative rating.
In rating Ramkarran as the most liked presidential prospect of the ruling party, respondents (of all races) describe him as a politician of integrity and honesty who believes in fair play and good governance. The name is widely respected throughout society. People speak fondly of his late father, Boysie. People of all races praise Ralph Ramkarran for his unbiased, impartial and non-partisan rulings as Speaker in the Parliament. Africans describe him as non-racial and trustworthy. People from the urban areas, the middle and business classes as well as the educated sections of the society consider him as the best presidential prospect of the PPP aside from Bharrat Jagdeo who is barred from seeking a third term. They feel Ramkarran will help to bring healing to the nation.
Nagamootoo also has high positives because of his likeability among the PPP grass roots where he is very popular for his incorruptibility and standing up for the rights of the working class and the poor. Many Africans say they like Nagamootoo because they don’t view him as “racial,” the way they view several other presidential prospects. Although not a minister, Nagamootoo is still held in high esteem among PPP supporters with many saying if he is not the presidential candidate, he should be given prominence in the party’s election line-up. Many PPP supporters are pleased that he is back in contention for the leadership post but it is universally believed that the PPP leadership will not consent to Nagamootoo as its presidential candidate.
Minister Persaud earns his positives from his high profile work as Minister of Agriculture, especially among rural party supporters. Farmers like him. Young people also like him but he does not have wide appeal across party lines, among urban dwellers, and the middle and business classes.
Donald Ramotar is well liked among the party’s rank and file but does not attract high favourable responses from the middle and business classes and among supporters of other parties. Many people feel Ramotar comes across as “too rugged” and that he needs to sharpen his image to appear more presidential.
With regards to Minister Frank Anthony, many people say he is “incorruptible and decent but too green.” Many say they don’t really know him well but they admire him as a role model for the youths.
Readers are cautioned that a positive rating is not the equivalent of political support for a prospective candidate in an election, and the negative rating is not the equivalent of the number of people who will not support a candidate.
Do you think the delegates to the PPP’s Congress should discuss the process in which the party’s prime ministerial and presidential candidates should be selected? In %
Yes No Not Sure
41 33 26
Table 2: Positives and Negatives in % of PPP prospective presidential candidates:
Individual Pos Neg Not Sure
R. Ramkarran 63 25 12
M. Nagamootoo 60 22 18
R. Persaud 52 34 14
D. Ramotar 49 32 19
F. Anthony 47 30 23
The poll has a margin of error of approximately 4%
Part 1:
Racial Breakdown of People Polled
Race Number Percentage
Indian 272 45
African 186 31
Mixed 84 14
Others 60 10
Total 602 100
Do you think the disciplined forces are doing enough to control crime? in %
Yes No Not Sure Other
27 55 6 12
Other = the people need to cooperate with forces to fight crime
Are you satisfied with the way the country is being governed? In %
Yes No Balanced Not Sure
28 52 13 7
Part 2:
Do you think that the independent media are being harassed by the government? In %
Yes No Not Sure
14 64 22
Do you think the court should have granted Sharma’s request to return to the air while it addresses the legal issues pertaining to the President’s suspension? In %
Yes No Not Sure
76 8 16
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
