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Jamaicans stick to party lines in assessment of government's performance - poll

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Nakinskie Robinson reports
 
Just months before the next parliamentary election is due, nearly one in three Jamaicans say they cannot identify a single area they believe the Dr. Andrew Holness administration has excelled in since 2020. 
 
At the same time, roughly one in four could not single out any area they believe the government has mismanaged. 
 
The findings are from the latest RJRGLEANER-commissioned Don Anderson poll, conducted between May 18 and June 7.
 
Mr. Anderson, who is head of Market Research Services, said the responses highlight the absence of objectivity and instead a falling in line behind their support for respective parties in assessing the worth of many of the issues raised in the poll.
 
Of the 1,033 participants, aged 18 years or older, 29.2 per cent said 'nothing', 'don't know' or 'not sure' when asked what they would say the government has done well during its term of office since 2020. 
 
That was followed by 19.8 per cent of participants, who said improved infrastructure, 10.1 per cent who said increased or improved social benefits, including the Programme of Advancement Through Health (PATH) and Education and National Insurance Scheme benefits; 9.2 per cent cited the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and 5.7 per cent pointed to the increase in the income tax threshold.
 
Mr. Anderson said most of the positives identified have to do with improvements to the social fabric of the society, personal welfare and factors that should redound to the benefit of individuals and the general population. 
 
He said older persons were the ones most impressed by the infrastructure work that the government has done, while younger persons were more minded to highlight the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
On the other hand, when asked what they believe was the government's biggest shortcoming during its term of office since 2020, 24 per cent of respondents said 'nothing', 'don't know' or 'not sure'.
 
That cohort was followed by 15.1 per cent of respondents, who said the government presided over poor infrastructure; 13.1 per cent increased cost of living; 10.2 per cent job unavailability or less desired jobs, including call centre; and, to round out the top five, 9.3 per cent said health care services. 
 
Mr. Anderson said some of the factors highlighted as negatives by the respondents are also mentioned among the positives. Added to that, he said the 24 per cent who say the government has handled nothing badly indicated that they would be voting for the governing Jamaica Labour Party.
 
Pointing to the 13 per cent who blamed the government for the increase in the cost of living, and the 10 per centwho ascribe to them the blame for the loss of jobs, the pollster said, an analysis of these findings and these negatives point mainly to persons who say they intend to vote for the People's National Party, and hence, lines were drawn again on the basis of political support.
 
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent.
 


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