CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has dismissed a poll by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development and Research Services Inc (CADRES) that predicts a close contest in the June 6 general election.

Anthony told supporters of the ruling St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) on Monday night that there were some major discrepancies with the poll that indicated it was too close to call.

Anthony hinted that the poll may have been financed by the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and in a statement Tuesday, the SLP said it noted that in the poll results only 14 per cent had indicated they do not intend to vote.

CADRES said that it conducted the poll in all 17 constituencies and interviewed 1,000 people between May 20-23. It gave the ruling party a one per cent lead over the UWP in committed voters, 34 per cent to 33 per cent, with 30 per cent representing “uncertain voters”.

The SLP said that traditionally, voter turnout here is 55 per cent and that puts CADRES results at variance with historical trends, because it suggests an 86 per cent voter turnout.

“The best voter turnout in the last 30 years took place in the 1997 general election, and even then, voter turnout did not hit the 70 per cent mark. If the CADRES sample is only of likely voters and not total voters, then the 14 per cent figure should not exist. So there clearly is a major discrepancy in the CADRES poll results, and Mr (Peter) Wickham (CADRES pollster) needs to explain whether his figures are based on likely voters or all respondents,” the SLP noted.

It also took issue with the high percentage of “uncertain” voters, noting, “In this category is a 10 per cent group which the survey categorised as ‘won’t say’. This ‘won’t say’ category is not uncertain; it is certain but will not reveal its voting choice. Therefore, to use the 30 per cent figure as his predictive is faulty and the results from that predictive are not accurate,” the statement said, noting that “the prediction of uncertain voters should be on an eight per cent sample and not 30 per cent as Mr Wickham claims,” the SLP argued.

The ruling party said another curious part of Wickham’s analysis is his conclusion on the change in support for the various political leaders.

The CADRES poll states that presently, Dr Kenny Anthony enjoys a 31 per cent favourability rating, which is the same rating he enjoyed in October 2015. It goes on to reveal that Allen Chastanet currently trails Prime Minister Anthony, with a 28 per cent favourability rating, compared to a 19 per cent favourability rating nine months ago.

The SLP describes as “shocking”, the CADRES conclusion that Anthony has lost more than half of his support, while UWP leader has doubled his support, claiming that this is not substantiated by results.

“First of all, it indicates that Prime Minister Kenny Anthony’s support is unchanged from nine months ago, not diminished as suggested by Peter Wickham. Secondly, Mr Wickham has not indicated whether the support that Allen Chastanet has appeared to have picked up in the current poll is support that nine months ago was going to Stephenson King,” the party argued

The party said notwithstanding the findings, “the St Lucia Labour Party is very much aware of the fact that general elections are won on election day and we will continue our unrelenting campaign to convince St. Lucians that the SLP is the only choice for continued growth, stability and progress in our country”.