The General Secretary (leader) of the opposition Peoples Progressive party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo ended 2019 on a high note regarding favorability ratings among politicians according to an opinion poll conducted in December by Dr. Vishnu Bisram for the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA). People are not confident about their future and of the handling of the economy, oil industry, crime, and other matters. Jagdeo is rated as the most popular politician in the country. But a challenge facing the popular PPP leader is to transfer his popularity on electability to other members of his party, some of who are extremely unpopular and disliked.
The poll interviewed 650 likely voters at random to represent the demographics of the population (39% Indians, 30% Africans, 20% Mixed, 10% Amerindians, and 1% other ethnic categories). The survey’s findings have a margin of error of 4% at a confidence level of 95%, meaning the percentages (answers) relating to a question could vary by 4% in either direction.Based on the findings of the survey, 84% said the country is moving in the wrong direction with only 11% saying it is moving in the right direction. Large majorities worry about government’s handling of public security, economy, oil industry, corruption, ethnic relations, and health care, among other national matters.
Asked if they trust government (politicians) to manage the oil industry, 87% said ‘no, with only 5% saying yes and 8% not giving an opinion.Asked who they would trust more as President of the country, voters are polarized by party and ethnic lines.Asked if they think the Guyana High Court and Appeals Court rendered fair judgments in political cases, especially matters pertaining to the no confidence vote, 40% said yes with 53% saying no and 7% not offering an opinion.In terms of favorabilty (likability) ratings of political figures, Jagdeo leads with 65% favorability and 30% unfavorable views of him. These numbers provide a net positive rating of Jagdeo of 30% as compared with Presidentt Granger whose net positive rating is 2%.President Granger’s ratings are 48% favorable and 46% unfavorable nationally, but among traditional coalition supporters his favorability rating is very high at 92%. Granger is by far the most popular figure in the ruling coalition exceeded only by First Lady Sandra Granger. The Presidential candidates of the minor parties, apart from Ramkarran, are not well known with most respondents saying they do not know enough about them to offer a favorable or unfavorable rating.Attachments area