WHILE THE Jamaica Labour Party has chopped away at the People's National Party (PNP) lead in popular support, with both organisations now neck and neck, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is still well ahead of her rival Bruce Golding in personal ratings.

According to the results of the latest Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll, more than half the electorate hold a favourable view of Simpson Miller, the PNP president.

The poll, conducted a day before Hurricane Dean struck Jamaica, measured Simpson Miller's favourability rating at 51 per cent, down from 56 per cent in mid-July. Her unfavourability rating is 37 per cent, up by five percentage points for the same period.

JLP leader Bruce Golding continues to trail the PM in the area of likeability. Johnson's latest findings among 1,008 residents in 84 communities islandwide place Golding's favourability rating at 44 per cent. This is seven points behind Simpson Miller, down from 18 points difference in July.

Significantly, while Golding's unfavourability ratings have remained constant, the number of persons who are unsure about liking him has decreased by six points since July.

Preferred PM

In terms of which leader can better perform the job as Prime Minister, 45 per cent of respondents in Johnson's latest poll identified Simpson Miller, while 40 per cent chose Golding. Analysis of Johnson poll findings for the past three months indicates that Simpson Miller's ratings as the preferred Prime Minister have remained constant, while Golding's figures have increased by nine points.

When the candidates of both parties are matched, those of the PNP (42 per cent) are a mere three points ahead of their JLP (39 per cent) counterparts in terms of favourability. The difference between the two groups is within the poll's error margin of plus or minus three per cent.

The latest poll results also show that the electors are split equally (40 per cent) in their decision about which party's candidates would best perform the job as Members of Parliament.

Favourability ratings

Do you have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of ...

Fav. Unfav. Not sure

Prime Minister Portia Simpson? 51% 37% 12%

Opposition Leader Bruce Golding? 44% 42% 14%

PNP candidates? 42% 39% 19%

JLP candidates? 40% 39% 21%

Source: Bill Johnson poll, August 2007