Significantly more Jamaicans say that Opposition Leader Bruce Golding is best suited to run the country now, compared to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, an Observer-commissioned public opinion poll conducted by Mark Wignall has found.

According to the poll, conducted August 25-27 among 1,454 voters in 48 communities across the island, Golding, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, was preferred by 44 per cent of respondents, while 38 per cent chose Simpson Miller, the People’s National Party (PNP) president, when the pollsters asked the question: ‘In doing your own assessments, which of the two political leaders do you believe is best suited to run Jamaica at this time?’

Eighteen per cent of respondents said they did not know.

In his assessment of the findings, Wignall, who understudied the late master pollster, Professor Carl Stone, said: “Before this, only in one constituency poll done last year have I ever recorded the opposition leader coming out ahead of the prime minister in this rating. Coming as it has on the eve of the election, it appears that the JLP has peaked in all areas at just the right time.”

Wignall said that while the question was answered mostly along party lines, “it is among the undecided voters that the majority view favours Golding over Simpson Miller”.

The poll also found that the recent political debate between both leaders had attracted more voters to Golding who, from all accounts, demonstrated a better grasp of national issues than Simpson Miller and was more convincing in his articulation of a vision for Jamaica.

According to the poll, of the 60 per cent of respondents who said they watched or listened to the August 11 debate, 40 per cent said they would be voting for Golding, while 33 per cent said they would vote for Simpson Miller. Five per cent said they would not vote and 22 per cent were undecided.

But the poll was not all bad news for Simpson Miller who got somewhat of a favourable rating for her performance after Hurricane Dean, which sideswiped the island’s eastern and southern coasts on August 19.

The category four storm took at least three lives, wrecked homes, infrastructure and wiped out crops.

Wignall said that when his pollsters asked whether people were satisfied or dissatisfied with the way the prime minister has been handling the affairs of the country in the aftermath of the hurricane, 39 per cent said they were satisfied, 28 per cent were not, but a significant 33 per cent said they did not know.

Said Wignall: “Overall, more people have told us they are satisfied with how the prime minister has been conducting the affairs of the country following Hurricane Dean, than those who say they are dissatisfied. JLP voters seem not to have a problem with the prime minister’s performance in the aftermath of the hurricane, with only a small majority saying they are dissatisfied.

“The overwhelming majority of PNP voters say they are satisfied with how the prime minister has been performing since the hurricane.”

Question: In doing your own assessments, which of the two political leaders do you believe is best suited to run Jamaica at this time?

Bruce Golding 44%

Portia Simpson Miller 38%

Don’t know 18%

100%

Question: Did you watch or listen to the debate between Portia Simpson Miller and Bruce Golding? If yes, do you believe that debate will affect how you will vote in the elections?

Watched/listened to the debate: 60%

Did not watch/listen to it: 40%

Wignall comment: Approximately equal percentages of PNP and JLP voters listened/watched the debate with the majority of those saying that they would still vote for their respective parties.

In terms of the overall voting choice among those registered voters who watched/listened to the debate, the following was determined as an indicator.

Will vote for Bruce: 40%

Will vote for Portia: 33%

Will not vote: 5%

Undecided: 22%

100%

Question: Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way the prime minister has been handling the affairs of the country in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean?

Satisfied 39%

Dissatisfied 28%

Don’t know 33%

100%

TOMORROW: The party standings