Dear Editor,

Some intriguing questions have arisen for social and traditional media commentators from the current dispute between Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips and Prime Minister Andrew Holness over how much the opposition leader knew or understood from the prime minister about the proposed extension of the time official Cabinet documents can be kept secret.

What was the prime minister’s understanding of the opposition leader’s response to what the prime minister revealed about what he intended to bring to Parliament concerning this matter?

The prime minister and his information assistants say one thing, while the opposition leader and his information assistants say a bunch of other things and have accused the prime minister of being less than faithful with the truth. They have also said that the prime minister has established a pattern of untrustworthiness.

I am no pollster or polling expert, but it seems to me that this issue presents a perfect base and time for some kind of survey to elicit relevant meaningful and possibly important answers to some general and specific questions about public perceptions of integrity, trust, confidence and reliability in our national leaders.

That poll should, for example, find out:

(1) Regarding this matter and/or other recent issues, whom do you consider most/more trustworthy, and why?

(2) Whom do you believe — the opposition leader or the prime minister, and why?

(3) Which team, in your experience, has proven to be more reliable/truthful, when subjected to fact checks?

Carlton A Gordon

Kingston 10

email:carltongor@gmail.com