Ryan
poll: Mixed
views
over
PNM's
rule
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
21 07 07
Managing
the economy and the country
There
are mixed views as to how well or badly the PNM
ran the country in the past five years.
Only ten per cent of the population were "very
satisfied", while another 24 per cent were
basically satisfied. The positive aggregate for
satisfied was 34 per cent. Thirty-seven per cent
were not very satisfied, while another 25 per cent
were not at all satisfied-a negative aggregate
of 62 per cent.
The
picture was much the same when one substituted "Manning" for
the "PNM", and "economy" for
the "country". Only seven per cent were "very
satisfied", 24 per cent "more or less "satisfied";
38 per cent were "not very satisfied'; and
28 per cent were "not at all satisfied".
The positive aggregate was 31 per cent, while the
negative aggregate was 66 per cent-twice as many.
These
global figures look different when they are filtered
through an ethnic lens. Indo-Trinidadians
were far more inclined to say that they were not "very
satisfied" or "not at all satisfied" than
were Afro-Trinidadians by significant margin of
some 60 per cent. It is, however, worth noting
that as many as 46 per cent of the Afro-Trinidadians
also gave Manning a failing mark on the economy,
and that 60 per cent of the mixed group also did
so.
The CJ affair
The
Prime Minister got extremely poor marks for the
way in which he handled the Chief Justice.
Only seven per cent felt that he handled the matter "very
well", with another 13 per cent claiming that
he handled it "well". Thirty per cent,
however, felt that he did not managed the crisis
very well, while another 34 per cent felt he had
not done well at all. Fifteen per cent had no opinion
on the very controversial affair.
Needless
to say, Indo-Trinidadians were much more critical
than were other ethnic groups. They felt
Hindus were being targeted. Only nine per cent
of them felt he had handled it "very well" or "well".
As many as 80 per cent felt he had handled it badly!
Ten per cent expressed no opinion on the matter.
Policies preferred
Free Tertiary Education was, by far, the most
universally approved policy initiated by the PNM
administration. Two-thirds of all ethnic groups
(65 per cent) identified it as their first choice.
CDAP was next (11 per cent) followed by housing
(five per cent).
What policies or projects were Trinidadians most
opposed to? The most disliked policies (first choice)
was the closing of Caroni (22 per cent), plans
for the construction of two smelters (22 per cent),
and crime management (12 per cent). When all three
choices were tabulated and averaged, high food
prices was seen to be the issue of greatest concern,
followed by crime management and plans for the
smelters.
Building the smelter in La Brea
PNM
plans to build an aluminium smelter in La Brea
and elsewhere have not sat well with many
citizens. Only four per cent agreed strongly that
the La Brea smelter should be built, while another
six per cent agreed with its construction, giving
an aggregate of 18 per cent. Forty-three per cent,
however, opposed it "strongly", with
another 26 per cent also objecting to it, giving
an aggregate of as many as 69 per cent. Eleven
per cent had no opinion on the matter, and four
per cent refused to say.
Indo-Trinidadians were more strongly opposed to
the La Brea smelter project than were Afro-Trinidadians.
Whereas 26 of the latter agreed with its construction,
only six per cent of the former did. Fifty-five
per cent of the latter also opposed it, but many
more, (85 per cent) of the former did as well.
Constitution reform
There
has been a great deal of controversy over the
Prime Minister's proposal that Trinidad and
Tobago should abandon the Westminster parliamentary
system, which it embraced at Independence, for
a hybrid model which included an executive presidency.
The political parties are sharply divided on the
issue, with the leaders of the PNM and the UNC
favouring it, and the Congress Of the People opposing
it. There are also divisions within the PNM over
the merits of the matter, with some elements claiming
that it is part of the Prime Minister's plan to
establish a "constitutional dictatorship".
There are divisions within the UNC as well, with
Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Leader of the Opposition
in Parliament, indicating that she was opposed
to it. One would have to say that it is the principal
wedge issue in the campaign.
What
is the public's stance or the vexed issued? Eleven
per cent strongly agree to the model change,
while 19 per cent also just agree-an aggregate
of 30 per cent. Forty-one per cent rejected the
proposal strongly, while another 19 per cent "rejected" it-an
aggregate of as many as 60 per cent.
The proposal is viewed differently by the two
major ethnic groups and the mixed element. Thirty-seven
per cent of the Afro-element approved it, while
46 per cent were opposed. Thirteen per cent of
the Indo-Trinidadians approve, while as many as
77 per cent are flatly opposed. Clearly they see
it as a threat. In terms of the mixed group, 40
per cent approve it, while 42 per cent opposed
it overall.
Constitution reform has been on the national agenda
for quite some time now, but there is much uncertainty
as to what needs to be done. The population is
divided on the question as to whether the Constitution
needed reform, and if so, whether major or minor
reforms were required. Seven per cent felt that
the constitution was basically acceptable and that
no structural changes are required. Another 31
per cent claim that while the document was basically
satisfactory, minor changes were necessary to fine
tune it. Forty-four per cent, however, felt that
structural changes were necessary, most particularly
in relation to the powers of the President (32
per cent), the electoral system (14 per cent),
the tenure and power of the Prime Minister (12
per cent), the Bill of Rights (8 per cent), local
government (seven per cent), and the appointment
and removal of the Chief Justice (six per cent).
Indo-Trinidadians were somewhat more concerned
about the powers of the President than were other
ethnic groups. This may be due to the fact that
a former president dislodged the first Indian Prime
Minister from office on grounds which they deemed
specious.
Dookeran's potential as prime minister
Doubts
have been expressed about Winston Dookeran's
competences as a potential prime minister. It
is
said that he was indecisive, a wimp, a poor speaker
who mangled his syntax, and totally lacking in
charismatic appeal. Others have said that he has
since been "blooded", and shows evidence
of growing self-confidence.
How does the public feel about Mr Dookeran now?
Thirty-seven per cent think he would make a good
prime minister, while 29 per cent said he would
make a poor prime minister. Another 29 per cent
said they did not know, and five per cent refused
to say.
Afro-Trinidadians and Indo-Trinidadians differ
sharply in their estimate. Sixty per cent of the
latter think he would make a good prime minister,
compared to only 18 per cent of the former. Forty-three
per cent of the Afro-Trinidadians think he would
make a poor prime minister, compared to 14 per
cent of the Indo-Trinidadians who hold this view.
Perceptions of corruption and political parties
All three parties accuse their rivals of including
in their ranks people who have been guilty of gross
corruption. The PNM and the UNC, in particular,
trade accusations as to which was more or less
corrupt when they held office. When asked whether
the UNC was guilty of corrupt behaviour when it
held office, 61 per cent said yes, it was very
corrupt; 22 per cent said it was not particularly
so, five per cent did not know, and four per cent
refused to say.
Looked at through ethnic lenses, we find 40 per
cent of the Indo-Trinidadians perceiving the UNC
as having been very corrupt, compared to 82 per
cent (twice as many) of the Afro-Trinidadians who
are of this view. Another 41 per cent of the Indo-Trinidadians
regard the UNC as not having been particularly
corrupt, while seven per cent claimed that they
were not at all corrupt. Only two per cent of the
Afro-Trinidadians believed that the UNC was not
corrupt at all.
Counter charges have been made by the UNC in respect
of PNM corruption, especially in the procurement
of contracts for a variety of projects in the construction
industry, and most recently, in respect of the
proposed rapid rail project. The UNC claims that
the Manning PNM is more corrupt than the UNC every
was, and that two or several more PNM ministers
have been caught, notwithstanding Mr Manning's
rhetoric about how clean he and the PNM are, and
his pledge to allow all who are found to be corrupt
to face their accusers in court.
Indo-Trinidadians are more inclined to believe
these changes to be true. Fifty-two per cent of
them believe the PNM is either more corrupt than
the UNC was, or just as corrupt (27 per cent),
an aggregate of 79 per cent. Thirteen per cent,
however, believe that the PNM is less corrupt.
Forty-eight per cent of the Afro-Trinidadians also
think that the PNM is less corrupt than the UNC
was, while ten per cent say they are not corrupt
at all. But a quarter of them (24 per cent), say
they are just as corrupt, while seven per cent
assert they are even more corrupt.
Squandermania
The
Government has been accused of "squandermania",
and of spending the oil/gas windfall as if it were
a never ending stream of manna or milk from heaven.
It has also been accused of not saving enough for
the inevitable day when the price of oil/gas drops.
Pro-government voices reply that there are many
needs which the present generation legitimately
has, and that these should be addressed now rather
than later. One has to achieve developed country
status by the year 2020, and this requires that
resources be spent on infrastructure.
The PNM's critics charge that it is guilty of
squandermania, as had previous PNM governments
during the first petro-boom. Eighty-one per cent
of the Indo-Trinidadians believe that the PNM is
guilty of wasteful spending and cite things like
the Port of Spain water front complex, the Prime
Minister's new official residence and diplomatic
centre, which cost US$148 million, and the $30
billion rapid rail complex. Only nine per cent
of the Indo community believe that there is no
excessive waste of resources. Afro-Trinidadians
share these concerns, but in fewer numbers. Forty-three
per cent believe the PNM to be guilty of overspending,
whereas 37 per cent believe that the moneys are
being productively spent. The percentages are as
follows:
Story
by Selwyn Ryan from the Trinidad Express
Trinidad
Express
Thursday, October 18th 2007
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