Dear Editor,
An opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) last month revealed that the approval rating of the PNC-led coalition Government has hit skid row. The approval ratings of the President and the Prime Minister have also gone south, while that of the Opposition Leader is rising. The opinion survey was conducted in early March, some two months before the second anniversary of the Administration. Earlier NACTA polls conducted last January, December, October, and June also revealed a climbing down of the approval ratings of the coalition, President and PM, a reversal from when the APNU/AFC Administration was installed into office in May 2015.
At that time, they enjoyed wide support as the nation was willing to give the new Administration and its Ministers a chance to bring positive change in the country. But this goodwill was frittered away within months through Government’s unforced errors and broken promises, and it has been downhill ever since, with one misstep after another by the young Administration.
Approval ratings are a percentage of how the population (obtained from a representative sample), determined in a snap poll, feel the Government or any of its officers are doing (whether they approve or disapprove of the performance of the particular job of that person or programme). Like most surveys that predict public opinion, approval ratings are subjective and dynamic, meaning they change regularly. They are a snapshot of that particular period in time. NACTA has been conducting approval ratings polls in Guyana since 1991.
The latest opinion poll interviewed 402 respondents reflecting the demographic composition of the population with a margin of error of almost five per cent.
Asked if they were satisfied with the performance of the Government, 23 per cent said ‘Yes’, with 62 per cent saying ‘No’, and the others not offering a comment or response. It is the lowest approval rating of a government since NACTA began conducting polls over 25 years ago.
On the job performance of President David Granger, 38 per cent approve, with 54 per cent disapproving and the others not offering an opinion. Many now considered former supporters of Granger say the President has let them down especially over his ineffective response to what they view as Government corruption and broken promises. It is interesting to note that the President’s approval rating is 15 per cent higher than his Administration’s.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s job performance also took a hit with an approval rating of 36 per cent and a disapproval rating of 55 per cent. Opposition supporters, former supporters of Nagamootoo, express serious disappointment with their former hero over his silence on the ill-treatment of sugar workers and rice farmers.
Bharrat Jagdeo’s performance as Opposition Leader revealed an approval rating of 57 per cent and disapproval of 37 per cent.
The poll revealed that on the Government side, only Ministers Cathy Hughes, Dominic Gaskin, Carl Greenidge, and Jaipaul Sharma enjoy significant confidence among the population for their job performance. On the Opposition side, Irfaan Ali, Anil Nandlall, Gail Teixeira, Dr Frank Anthony, and Priya Manickchand enjoy the confidence of the population for their performance as shadow ministers or Members of Parliament (MPs).
Sincerely,
Dr Vishnu Bisram
