Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator
( L - R ) SIMPSON MILLER and GOLDING
A MERE six weeks after her historic appointment as Jamaica's first woman prime minister, popular support for Portia Simpson Miller has declined steeply, according to the findings of a Gleaner-commissioned poll.
Pollster Bill Johnson and his team of researchers found that Mrs. Simpson Miller's favourability rating of 78 per cent in March this year had dropped by 14 percentage points to 64 per cent when the latest survey was carried out on May 13 and 14 among 1,008 persons 18 years old and older. The margin of error is plus or minus three.
GROWING DISCONTENT
The decline in Mrs. Simpson Miller's approval rating comes against the background of growing discontent within the party, as persons loyal to her have sought to unseat supporters of Dr. Peter Phillips to represent the party in the next general elections, constitutionally due in 2007. Dr. Phillips lost to Mrs. Simpson Miller in a keenly fought contest for presidency of the governing People's National Party (PNP) to replace P.J. Patterson on February 25. She was sworn in as the country's seventh prime minister on March 30.
Her administration's handling of the recent cement crisis is also believed to have affected the Prime Minister's rating, as she declared full support for Industry and Commerce Minister Phillip Paulwell, despite increasing calls for his resignation over the issue. According to estimates by the state-run Planning Institute of Jamaica, the economy has already suffered due to the impact of cement shortage on the construction industry.
While Opposition Leader Bruce Golding's favourability rating has also declined, from 35 per cent in March to 31 per cent in May, those who had a negative view of him declined from 50 per cent in March to 42 per cent in May. Those who were not sure increased from 15 to 27 per cent.
Those who had an unfavourable opinion of the Prime Minister increased from 11 per cent in March to 15 per cent in May, while those who were not sure increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent .
In terms of the two political parties, Jamaicans have not changed their view, at least not significantly in one case, when asked if they had a favourable opinion about both parties. The PNP remains at 47 per cent in terms of its rating while the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) fell from 33 per cent in March to 28 per cent in May.
COMING ON SUNDAY:
If a general election were held today, which party would form the new government? The result may surprise you!
