Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party’s Public Relations Committee, Robert Morgan says the work being done by the Holness administration is being undermined by poor communication from the government.
Mr. Morgan, the Minister with responsibility for Information, was reacting to the findings of a recent Don Anderson poll, commissioned by the PNP, which shows that the Prime Minister has lost significant ground in his favorability ratings.
That poll was conducted among 1200 Jamaicans from February 17 to 26.
Speaking today, Morgan also agreed with the view advanced by some political analysts, who suggest there’s a disconnect between the administration and the people.
He says both parties must adjust the way they communicate with their various publics.
According to the Don Anderson poll, the Prime Minister’s negative performance rating stands at 44-percent, compared to 27-percent last July.
Morgan rejected the suggestion that this decline in favourability was due to the Prime Minister having to shore up certain portfolios being led by underperforming Ministers.
General Secretary of the People’s National Party, Dr. Dayton Campbell, says the party needs to do more to effectively market party President Mark Golding to the Jamaican people.
He was reacting to the 10-percentage point increase in Golding’s negative performance rating, as shown in polls conducted for the PNP by Don Anderson in February this year.
Meanwhile, Dr. Campbell was asked why the latest poll findings shouldn’t result in a call for Mark Golding’s resignation.
It was Dr. Campbell himself who led the call for the resignation of former PNP President, Dr. Peter Phillips in the wake of similarly weak poll numbers.
Dr. Campbell says PNP supporters will have reason to feel optimistic when the party standings from the same Don Anderson survey are published.
Meanwhile Pollster Don Anderson says the Jamaican electorate is fast falling out of love with both major political parties.
The poll was commissioned to, among other things, gauge perception about the PNP’s standing, relative to the governing JLP.
The poll findings make for troubling reading for both Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding.
They show that favourability ratings for both men have nosedived.
Golding’s negative performance rating was at 49-percent this year, up from 39-percent last year.
The Prime Minister’s negative performance rating is at 44-percent, compared to 27 percent last July.
Mr. Anderson says the polls show that both parties are bleeding support across demographics.
And the MP for South East St. Andrew, Julian Robinson, says the PNP must heed the warning from the recent Don Anderson survey.
Mr Robinson made the comments this morning while participating in a protest organised by the PNP in Cross Roads, St. Andrew.