Survey finds 38 per cent of Guyanese believe opposition sabotaging government

A recent opinion survey has revealed that 38 per cent of people in Guyana believe the combined opposition is sabotaging government’s development initiatives, while another 40 per cent do not support its tactic of withholding funds to the president’s office. The survey was conducted in July by New York-based pollster, Vishnu Bisram, for the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA). These and other findings were obtained in the poll that queried voters’ views on a number of issues impacting Guyana.

Thirty-nine per cent of those polled said they are satisfied with the performance of the government, while 43 per cent said they approved of the performance of President Donald Ramotar. Respondents are divided on whether or not a snap election should be called soon to resolve the parliamentary crisis of a minority government.
However, when asked how they would vote if an election were called, 44 per cent said they would vote for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C); 35 per cent, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); five per cent, the Alliance For Change (AFC), two per cent the Justice For All Party (JFAP); and less than one per cent, other parties. Thirteen per cent are undecided.
Disenchanted government supporters who voted for the AFC last November said they are disappointed with the party’s behaviour and its close alliance with the APNU, expressing the view that they may very well return to the fold of the ruling party.
Eighty-eight per cent disagree with the opposition leader that there is no “Father of the Nation”. Fifty-six per cent said former President Dr Cheddi Jagan, deserves such an unofficial title, while 32 per cent said it should be another former president, Forbes Burnham.
Other findings
Housing and Water Minister/ acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, lead their colleagues and members of parliament in popularity, while Opposition Leader David Granger trail several of his parliamentary colleagues in popularity.
Other ministers in order of popularity ratings are Attorney General Anil Nandlall; Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud; Education Minister Priya Manickchand; Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy; Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony; Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; and Labour Minister Dr Nanda K Gopaul.
Asked who they would rate as the most effective Member of Parliament (MP) on the government’s side, the majority said Dr Singh. He leads with 18 per cent; Ali, 16 per cent; Nandlall, 14 per cent; Jenifer Webster and Gail Texeira, 10 per cent; Dr Ramsammy, eight per cent; Bishop Juan Edghill, six per cent, and Prime Minister Sam Hinds, four per cent.
On the question of who they would rate as the most effective MP on the opposition’s side, Deborah Backer leads with 14 per cent; Dr Rupert Roopnarine, 12 per cent; Moses Nagamootoo, 11 per cent; Khemraj Ramjattan, 10 per cent; Cathy Hughes, eight per cent; Carl Greenidge, seven per cent; Granger, six per cent; and James Bond, five per cent.
Methodology
The poll randomly interviewed 930 voters in July to yield a demographically representative sample – 44 per cent Indians; 31 per cent Africans; 15 per cent mixed; nine per cent Amerindians, and one per cent other ethnicity – of the population.
The survey was conducted throughout the nation by several experienced interviewers in face-to-face contact over a two-week period.
People were asked several questions and the results of the findings were analysed at a 95 per cent significance level.
Results based on sub-groups, such as Indians or Africans, have a larger sampling error of about four per cent.   Bisram, a pollster, newspaper columnist, and educator based in New York, has been conducting annual opinion surveys in Guyana since 1990.