ACCORDING to an opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) on contemporary issues, the public finds that President Irfaan Ali-led PPP administration has done or achieved more than the preceding APNU+AFC regime in governance in a variety of areas. The public feel that the five-month-old Ali administration has shown that it is more caring and compassionate than the former coalition government.
The survey was conducted mid-January by well-known pollster Dr. Vishnu Bisram. Some 470 respondents were interviewed to represent the demographics of the population (40 per cent Indians; 30 per cent Africans; 19 per cent Mixed; 10 per cent Amerindians and one per cent Others).
Based on the findings of the poll, the public feel that the PPP administration has made a greater effort than APNU in implementing measures to create jobs (increase employment) in the public and private sectors. The general perception among the population is that under APNU, thousands of jobs were lost in the public as well as private sectors as business shrunk. Respondents feel that APNU almost exclusively hired its supporters, whereas under the current Ali administration jobs are open for all, regardless of political affiliation or ethnicity.
Asked which government has done more to create jobs, the PPP leads APNU+AFC 61 per cent to 28 per cent, with 11 per cent not offering a response or saying “not sure.”
Asked which government has done more to help farming communities and rescue agriculture, PPP betters APNU with 79 per cent to 12 per cent.
On which government (has) made a greater effort to turn around the economy, PPP is ahead of APNU+AFC with 57 per cent to 38 per cent with five per cent saying not sure.
Queried on which government (has) attracted more investments into the country, PPP leads APNU with 74 per cent to 15 per cent with 11 per cent not offering a response.
Asked which government did or has done more to crack down on corruption, 56 per cent said PPP with 36 per cent saying APNU+AFC and eight per cent not sure.
Asked which government has demonstrated more empathy and compassion for the public during the COVID pandemic, PPP betters APNU overwhelmingly – 82 per cent to 11 per cent with seven per cent not giving a response. The general perception among non-APNU+AFC supporters is that the former APNU-led administration focused on helping its own supporters rather than the entire population.
The public also feels that they are better off today under the PPP than they were under the coalition, giving a rating of 59 per cent to the PPP and 34 per cent to the APNU.
Asked how confident they are of the country’s future under the Ali-led administration, 23 per cent said extremely confident; 28 per cent said very confident; 22 per cent said somewhat confident; 21 per cent said not confident; and six per cent offered no response.
Asked if they approve of the performance of the government, 68 per cent said yes with 25 per cent disapproving and seven per cent not offering a rating. Respondents signalled support for presidential outreaches with ministers interacting with communities all over the country.
President Ali’s approval rating is 73 per cent with a disapproval rating of 22 per cent.
