Byron Buckley, Associate Editor

People's National Party (PNP) candidates in the upcoming general election are viewed more unfavourably than their Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rivals, and this sentiment is strengthened when the PNP candidate is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP).

These are some of the findings of a Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll, conducted among 1,008 residents in 84 communities across the island on June 18 and 19.

The poll, with an error margin of plus or minus three per cent, found that 39 per cent of respondents held an unfavourable view of PNP candidates, compared to 36 per cent for JLP candidates. The negative views about PNP candidates intensify to 42 per cent where they are also sitting MPs - perhaps reflecting dissatisfaction with the level of performance of Government MPs - most of whom have been in office for two or three consecutive terms.

In contrast, JLP candidates who are incumbent MPs, are viewed less harshly than their PNP counterparts, with 34 per cent of respondents rating them as unfavourable.

Little difference

However, in assessing candidates from a positive perspective, respondents saw little difference between the candidates of both parties - 32 per cent viewed the PNP representatives as favourable, while 30 per cent rated the JLP candidates in like manner.

Instructively, the favourability rating of PNP candidates increased by five points in the case of sitting MPs, but the favourability rating of JLP candidates slipped by two points for incumbent MPs.

"It looks like a lot of people are sticking with the double they know than the double they don't," comments Johnson.

When asked to assess which candidate in their community would "do the best job" as MP, 34 per cent of respondents selected PNP candidates, while 30 per cent chose JLP candidates, which is not a huge difference, given the poll's three per cent margin of error.

Undecided on best candidate

Further analysis of Johnson's poll findings shows that more electors were undecided (43 per cent) about which candidate would do the best job where the person was a sitting JLP MP. This compares to 30 per cent who were undecided about who would perform best in the case of PNP MP-candidates. Johnson suggests some electors might be experiencing "cognitive dissonance", that is, being in two minds about who they will vote for.

"If electors can't make up their minds about candidates, then they are likely to vote for who they want to become Prime Minister or which party they want to win," the pollster tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Constituents told Johnson's team of interviewers that MPs should spend an average of seven days per month in their constituencies, and 52 per cent of respondents said MPs should live there. Johnson's team also found that constituents were not looking for hand-outs from their MPs, but, instead, suggested a range of issues that political representatives should address.

byron.buckley@gleanerjm.com

Duties expected of MPs