Dear Editor,
People rate Messrs Anil Nandlall, Ashni Singh, Irfaan Ali and Priya Manickchand as the leading ministers of government, according to the findings of an opinion survey conducted last week by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA). The same individuals plus Gail Teixeira are the leading parliamentary debaters on the government side, while veteran parliamentarians Moses Nagamootoo and Carl Greenidge were rated as the leading debaters on the opposition side.
A sample was constructed of 450 voters to yield a demographically representative sample of the population (43% Indians, 31% Africans, 16% Mixed, 9% Amerindians, and 1% other races). The survey was conducted at random by several interviewers (in face to face contact) with many years of experience in survey interviewing. It was coordinated by Vishnu Bisram. The results of the findings were analyzed at a 95 per cent significance level and a statistical sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points was found, meaning the findings could vary in either direction by 3%. Sampling results based on subgroups (such as Indians or Africans) have a larger sampling error of about 5%.
Asked if they are satisfied with the performance of the government, 42% said yes with 38% saying no and 20% not offering a response.
Asked who they would rate as the most effective minister, Dr Ashni Singh (Finance) leads with 16%; followed by Irfaan Ali (Housing, Tourism) 14%; Anil Nandlall (AG) 13%; Priya Manickchand (Education) 10%; Dr Frank Anthony (Culture, Youth and Sport) 8%; Dr Leslie Ramsammy (Agriculture) 7%; Dr Bheri Ramsarran (Health (5%); Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Foreign Affairs) 4%; Robert Persaud (Environment (4%); and Dr NK Gopaul (Labour) 3%, with the others trailing way behind. Asked who they would rate as the most effective debater of parliament on “the government’s side,” Anil Nandlall leads with 17%, followed by Gail Teixeira with 14%, Dr Ashni Singh 12%, Irfaan Ali (12%), Priya Manickchand (9%), Dr Ramsammy (6%), Sam Hinds 4%, and the others trailing behind. Asked who they would rate as the most effective debater on the opposition side, Moses Nagamootoo leads with 19%, followed by Carl Greenidge 14%, Khemraj Ramjattan 11%, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine (10%), David Granger 8%, Joe Harmon 5%, Basil Williams (4%) and the others trailing behind.
Asked if an election were called now, how they would vote, 46% said PPP; 38% PNC (APNU); 4% AFC; less than 1% other parties; and 11% saying they were undecided.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
NACTA
