POOR PM

PM scores poorly
Ariti Jankie South Bureau
Saturday, September 8th 2007

Patrick Manning has received what could be construed as a failed grade as Prime Minister.
This is the finding of the same poll, which, it is felt, caused Diane Seukeran to drop out, or be pushed out, of the race for the San Fernando West constituency in the upcoming general election. The poll was commissioned by Manning himself to determine the performance of his MPs.

Seukeran, current MP for the constituency, in fact emerged as a more likeable person than Manning in the Bill Johnson poll conducted in San Fernando West.

Of those polled, 45 per cent said they had a favourable opinion of her, 30 per cent found her unfavourable and 25 per cent were not sure or could not identify her.

But asked the same question about Manning, 39 per cent found him favourable, 44 per cent said he was unfavourable and 17 per cent of those polled were "not sure".

When it came to his job as Prime Minister, 36 per cent approved of how he was performing, 52 per cent disapproved, while those not sure totalled 12 per cent.

Asked whether Manning should be re-elected as Prime Minister, 38 per cent said "yes" but 51 per cent said "someone else" should be elected. The "don't knows" stood at 11 per cent.

When he addressed the People's National Movement's special convention at Bon Air High School, Arouca, last weekend, Manning indicated that he fell short in the poll, which he said he was using to boot out MPs who scored badly from contesting the election.

He also said the results of his San Fernando East seat were "not all that complimentary, but I want to tell you much of it is complimentary". The results of the poll for his constituency have not been made public.

For all the San Fernando West constituents polled, it was found Manning (compared to the UNC Alliance's Basdeo Panday and the Congress of the People's Winston Dookeran) would do the "best job as Prime Minister".

Thirty-six per cent gave Manning the nod, 19 per cent went for Panday and 14 per cent for Dookeran. The undecideds stood at 27 per cent and four per cent refused to comment.

The poll, which was conduced in May by Johnson Survey Ltd of Jamaica, gave the Government a failed grade for performance: six per cent found it "very good", 24 per cent "good", 25 per cent "not good" or "bad", 26 per cent "bad" , 18 per cent "very bad" and one per cent "don't know".

Things in Trinidad and Tobago were going the wrong way, according to 64 per cent of those surveyed, who rated the most pressing problems as crime, drainage, food prices and road conditions-in that order.

As for the party which would do the best job of running the country, 34 per cent went for the PNM, 18 per cent for the UNC and 13 per cent for the COP. The undecideds stood at 32 per cent and one per cent not sure.

Now, here is the result of another fockin poll, the Bill Johnson poll.

Totally different scenario. 36% in favour of Manning, 19% for Panday and 14% for Dookeran.

Now tell meh if the Guardian aint focked up. Trying to win votes or sympathy for dat dead mudder cont Dookeran.