Dear Editor,
An opinion poll conducted earlier this month by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association to gauge public views on varied contemporary issues found a population very dissatisfied with Government’s handling of the oil contract, economy, sugar and rice industries, crime, corruption, race relations, and several other issues considered critical to national development.
The composition of the respondents (430) reflected the general demographic diversity of the population (41 per cent Indians, 31 per cent Africans, 17 per cent Mixed, 10 per cent Amerindians, one per cent others). The poll was conducted by this writer. There was a margin of error of four per cent.
The eligible voting public in the survey identified several issues of paramount importance to the nation – crime, poor governance, the economy (increasing unemployment, rising cost of living, declining business, lack of circulation of money, etc), corruption, racism, ascending use of illegal drugs, soaring taxation, growing alcoholism, and domestic abuse as among the major problems afflicting the nation.
Queried which is the most important problem, nearly every respondent said the problems are all equally important and are inter-related. They noted that each problem critically impacts on national development. When pinned down to identify the one that they feel needs urgent attention, 40 per cent said the economy, followed by 20 per cent who said racism, 18 per cent crime, and 10 per cent corruption.
Asked if they think the Government is racist, 54 per cent (mostly PPP and AFC supporters) said yes, with 40 per cent (mostly PNC supporters) saying no.
Asked if they are satisfied with the Government’s handling of the economy, 62 per cent said no, with only 30 per cent saying yes. Some 60 per cent said the country is not moving in the right direction, as compared with 31 per cent who said it is going in the right direction. Some 58 per cent of the surveyed sample feel the Government has been condoning “corruption” since it came into office two years ago. Some 72 per cent of the country feels the APNU/AFC government has been too secretive in its conduct of national affairs; 14 per cent are satisfied with the limited amount of information provided by the Government on its policies and contracts. Some 78 per cent of the population (including large numbers of APNU/AFC supporters) feel the Government should release the Exxon oil contract to the public; only 13 per cent supports the Government’s position in not divulging the details of the oil contract. And just 22 per cent are satisfied with the Government’s effort at combating crime.
Asked if they support the planned closure of several sugar estates, 60 per cent said no, with 28 per cent (primarily PNC supporters) saying yes. Almost everyone in the sugar estates feel none of the estates should be closed. Sugar workers feel the estates and GuySuCo can be profitable if properly run, and not used as a political football.
Asked if closed sugar estate lands should be given to terminated (unemployed) sugar workers for agricultural production, a significant majority (58 per cent) say yes, with 25 per cent (primarily PNC supporters) saying no, and the others saying they are not sure.
Every respondent in Wales and the greater West Demerara area said the Wales estate land should be given to sugar estate workers to rehabilitate the sugar industry, or be used for farming.
Rice farmers throughout the country express a serious concern that the Government is not helping them; and worse, has been undermining the rice industry. Asked if they agree with the view (of Government neglect of rice industry) as expressed by rice farmers, 52 per cent in the national survey said yes, in contrast with 37 per cent who said no.
The poll also queried respondents on other issues; those findings will be released in a subsequent report.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
