Looking at the results of the Selwyn Ryan poll this morning in the Express, I could not help but notice three things that stand out:
Despite the slight lead that the PNM 'has' over the COP, there is an impression that the head honcho himself is tainted - In their first choice 16 per cent of the sample deemed him "competent", eight per cent "caring", ten per cent saw him as being "visionary", and two per cent considered him "God-chosen". The aggregate of these positive depictions was 36 per cent. On the other face of the coin, eight per cent saw him as being "power-hungry", 15 per cent as being "stubborn", 11 per cent "foolish", four per cent "mentally unbalanced", and 15 per cent a "poor leader". The cumulative percentage on the negative side was 55 per cent.
This may well be a significant factor in the election - much as Panday is the main negativity of the UNC. *
The COP should realise that their supporters have been garnered from the ones disliking 'unity' and that as things heat up, the COP will get even stronger.
* Readers might ask why I refer to UNC instead of UNC-A. There is no UNC-A, only UNC. The EBC itself confirmed that any alliance member MUST FIRST REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF THE UNC. That makes the party UNC.
- The media has it so wrong - Despite large crowds showing in the media indicating widespread support, the UNC only managed a 5% share of the electoral pie. This is significant in itself. The people are not impressed. And the Kamla side lining has had an impact. The doctored photos surely aren't helping either.
So people would rather vote for the PNM (swing their votes away from their first choice) rather than settle for a merger.
- There is a significance in the amount of persons rejecting a 'unity' coalition - When asked what they would do if the UNC Alliance and the COP were to come together, only ten per cent said they would vote for the unity product, while 18 per cent said they would not. Many others say they would vote for the PNM (28 per cent); five per cent said they would not vote at all. Eighteen per cent did not know what they would do, while 21 per cent refused to say.
The COP should realise that their supporters have been garnered from the ones disliking 'unity' and that as things heat up, the COP will get even stronger.
* Readers might ask why I refer to UNC instead of UNC-A. There is no UNC-A, only UNC. The EBC itself confirmed that any alliance member MUST FIRST REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF THE UNC. That makes the party UNC.
