Dear Editor,
An opinion survey conducted in early August by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) found that the ruling PPP/C leads the opposition in voter support in the event early elections are called to resolve the parliamentary impasse brought about by the November 2011 general elections when the combined opposition emerged with a one seat majority. However voters are divided on whether a snap election should be called now with a majority of voters saying they do not think any party will win a majority of seats in another election.
The poll also found that Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, Environment Minister Robert Persaud, Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Culture Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, and Labour Minister Dr. N.K. Gopaul are rated among the top performing Ministers of the government. These and other findings were obtained in the poll that queried voters for their views on a number of policy programmes.
The poll randomly interviewed 520 voters to yield a demographically representative sample (44% Indians, 30% Africans, 16% Mixed, 9% Amerindians, and 1% other races) of the population. The poll was conducted in face to face interviews and was coordinated by Vishnu Bisram, pollster, newspaper columnist, and educator in NY. The results of the poll were analyzed at a 95 per cent significance level and a statistical sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points was found. Sampling results based on subgroups (such as Indians or Africans) have a larger sampling error of about 5%.
Asked who they feel is the “Best Minister”, Manickchand leads with 17%, closely followed by Ali (16%), Ramsammy (11%), Nandlall (10%), Frank Anthony (9%), Ramsaran (8%), Singh (7%), Persaud (7%), and Gopaul 5%.
Asked if they think the government should call a snap election to resolve the parliamentary impasse that prevents the ruling party from carrying out its planned programnes, 43% said yes, 40% said no and 17% said they are not sure. Many voters said the parties should try to work together for the benefit and betterment of the nation expressing a view that they do not think any party will win a majority at the next election.
Asked which party they would vote for if a snap election is called, 46% said PPP, 37% PNC, and 7% AFC with 10% undecided.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
