The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS disapprove of the direction The Bahamas is headed and have grown disillusioned with the governing Progressive Liberal Party, according to a scientific poll of 400 Bahamians.

The poll was conducted between November 29 and December 5 by the American company Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research (WPA) on behalf of the Free National Movement.

The Tribune has obtained a copy of the poll results.

The data shows that the people surveyed had a higher favourability rating for the FNM and its Leader Dr Hubert Minnis compared to Prime Minister Perry Christie and the PLP.

When asked who they would vote for if the general election was held today, 40 per cent of respondents said they would support the FNM, 15 per cent said they would support the PLP, 16 per cent said they would support the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and 27 per cent said they were undecided.

According to the data, 26 per cent of respondents said they approve of the direction in which the country was headed while 69 per cent said they were not.

The poll also noted that 37 per cent said they have a favourable impression of Mr Christie while 49 per cent said they do not.

Regarding FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, 57 per cent of respondents said they have a favourable view of him while 26 per cent said they do not.

The data shows that 33 per cent of respondents said they saw the PLP favourably while 49 per cent said they do not.

Likewise, 57 per cent said they view the FNM favourably while 26 per cent said they do not.

Asked if they approve or disapprove of Mr Christie’s performance as prime minister, 31 per cent said they approve, 55 per cent said they disapprove.

Similarly, 29 per cent said they approve of the job the PLP has done in the past five years while 58 per cent said they do not.

Researchers said: “Voters in the Bahamas are clearly unhappy with the current administration and the direction of their government.”

The correspondence obtained by The Tribune was written by Chris Perkins, partner at WPA.

“The final results were stratified based on gender, age and geography,” Mr Perkins wrote. “Respondents were contacted by phone via live telephone operator interview…utilising random digit dialing.”

The poll had a margin of error of +/- 4.9 per cent.

The poll comes after seven FNM parliamentarians sought Dr Minnis’ removal as leader of the Official Opposition last week, replacing him with Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner.

The parliamentarians have said Dr Minnis is ill equipped to lead the challenge against the PLP and Mr Christie, a notion Dr Minnis and his supporters have rejected.