2 weeks ago
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Dr. Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party, JLP, are surging in public favourability with just four days to go before the September 3 General Election.
That’s according to the latest Nationwide/Bluedot polls, powered by Total Tools.
The polls show that Holness’ favourability rating among registered voters is 17 percentage points higher than the rating for Mark Golding.
The polls also show that the JLP’s favourability among registered voters in 13 percentage points higher than the PNP.
Over the same period, PNP President Mark Golding’s positive rating has remained largely unchanged.
George Davis has the details.
Hours after the political leaders faced off in a tense leadership debate, the Nationwide/Bluedot polls say Andrew Holness and his Labour Party are entering the final stretch of the campaign with strong positive ratings.
The pollsters asked 1,511 registered voters from August 19 to 27 if they had a positive, neutral or negative view of Andrew Holness, Mark Golding, the JLP and the PNP.
Based on their answers, Holness and the JLP are in the political ascendancy.
Forty seven percent of respondents say they have a positive view of the JLP leader and Prime Minister. That’s a five-point jump since the May edition of these polls.
Thirty-one percent of respondents said they had no opinion of Holness, while 22 percent said they viewed him negatively. The Labourites will be happy to learn there’s been 9-point drop in those who say they view the JLP leader negatively.
That number has fallen from 31 percent in May to 22 percent in this edition of the polls.
It’s also good news for the JLP. The party has climbed by nine points in a little over three months, with 45 percent of Jamaicans now saying they view them positively.
That number stood at 39 percent in May.
For his part, PNP President Mark Golding has come to a stop in positive sentiment. 30 percent viewed him positively in May.
That number is unchanged since May.
Forty four percent said they have no opinion of Markie G, while 26 percent said they viewed him negatively.
That negative sentiment has fallen marginally from the 27 percent recorded in May.
Golding’s party has managed a two-point movement in positive sentiment, with 32 percent of Jamaicans now saying they view the PNP in a positive light.
Forty-two percent of respondents had no opinion of the PNP, while 27 percent viewed the opposition party negatively. That’s two-point drop since May.
The pollsters say when the polling trend line is broadened to include the February edition of the polls, it clearly shows a JLP with momentum and a PNP that has stalled.
The question then is, can things change in these the final days before what’s setting up to be an epic electoral struggle.
The Nationwide/Bluedot polls have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent.
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