Survey of 480 Residents of Manchester Central
Conducted April 29, 2007

1. Generally speaking, do you think things in Jamaica are going in the right direction these days, or do you think they're going in the wrong direction?

Right Direction 19%
Wrong Direction 69%
Don't know 12%

2. What in your opinion is the most pressing problem the country faces at this time?

Crime, violence 63%
Jobs (net) 31%
Poverty, poor people need help 8
Financial problems, no money 5

3. Thinking about the area that you live…generally speaking, do you think things are going in the right direction these days in the area you live in, or are they going in the wrong direction?

Right Direction 49%
Wrong Direction 41
Don't Know 10

4. What would you say is the greatest need at this time in the area that you live? in?

Jobs (net) 50%
Road conditions 29
Water problems 16
Community center 6

Most Pressing Problem/Greatest Local Need:

Crime, violence 64%
Jobs (net) 63
Water problems 19
Road conditions 16
Poverty, poor people need help 8

5. How would you rate the performance of the government at this time… would you say the government is doing a very good job, or a good job, or a bad job, or a very bad job, or is it doing neither a good nor a bad job?

Very Good 8%
Good 27
Not Good or Bad 21
Bad 17
Very Bad 20
Don't know 5

6. Generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller?

Favourable 59%
Unfavourable 28
Not Sure 13

7. When you get right down to it, do you approve or disapprove of the job that Portia Simpson-Miller is doing as Prime Minister?

Approve 55%
Disapprove 30
Not Sure 15

8. Generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about Bruce Golding, the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, the JLP?

Favourable 40%
Unfavourable 42
Not Sure 18

9. As things stand now, who do you think would do a better job as Prime Minister… Portia Simpson-Miller or Bruce Golding?

Simpson-Miller 44%
Golding 34
Undecided 21
Refused 1

10. Generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about the People's National Party, the PNP?

Favourable 48%
Unfavourable 39
Not Sure 13

11. What about the JLP, the Jamaica Labour Party… generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about it?

Favourable 40%
Unfavourable 45
Not Sure 15

12. Which of the two major political parties do you think would do the best job of governing Jamaica at this time… the PNP or the JLP?

PNP 41%
JLP 36
Undecided 22
Refused 1

Your Member of Parliament, John Junor, has decided not to run for re-election when the next general elections are held….

13. Thinking about John Junor, generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about him?

Favourable 46%
Unfavourable 34
Not Sure 20

Now I'd like to ask you about some people who have said they would be interested in running for Parliament in your area …

14. One of these is the Vando Palmer, who is a former public relations officer … generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about Vando Palmer?

Favourable 27%
Unfavourable 32
Not Sure 41

15. Have you seen or met Vando Palmer in your local community in the last six months or so?

Yes 26%

16. Another person who is interested in running for Parliament in your area is Sally Portius, who is a member of the Manchester parish council … generally speaking, do you have a favourable or an unfavourable opinion about Sally Portius?

Favourable 48%
Unfavourable 27
Not Sure 25

17. And have you seen or met Sally Portius in your local community in the last six months or so?

Yes 49%

18. If the election for Parliament was being held today and Vando Palmer was the PNP candidate and Sally Portius was the JLP candidate, whom would you most want to win?

Palmer 30%
Portius 42
Undecided 27
Refused 1

19. Did you vote in the general elections in October of 2002, or like many people, did you vote for one reason or another?

Yes - Voted 50%
No - Did Not Vote 50

(IF VOTED) Who did you vote for … the PNP candidate for Parliament, John Junor, or the JLP Norman Horne?

PNP - Junor 52%
JLP - Horne 44
Don't Remember/Refused 4

(If DID NOT VOTE) Are you enumerated to vote at this time or are you not enumerated?

Yes -Enumerated 33%
No - Not Enumerated 17

20. Regardless of how you may feel about your local candidates for Parliament, if the election for Parliament was being held today, do you think you would probably vote for the PNP candidate, or would you definitely vote for the PNP candidate, or would you probably vote for the JLP candidate, or would you definitely vote for the JLP candidate, or are you probably not going to vote as things stand now?

Registered Voters

Probably PNP 5%
Definitely PNP 28

Probably JLP 5%
Definitely JLP 28

Undecided 10
Refused 3

Would Not Vote 21

What are the main reasons why you feel this way?

Reasons Why PNP:
PNP supporter, family tradition 45%
Like it, a good party 15
Portia (Net)
Like her, she's good 9
Deserves a chance 6
PNP is doing a good job 14
Like the PNP, A good party 8

Reasons Why JLP:
Need a change 37%
PNP is doing nothing 17
Would do a good/better job 10
JLP supporter, family tradition 14

21. Thinking back to how you've voted in the past, would you say that you always vote for the PNP candidate for office, or do you usually vote for the PNP candidate, or do you sometimes vote for the PNP candidate and sometimes for the JLP candidate, or you usually vote for the JLP candidate, or do you always vote for the JLP candidate?

Always PNP 25%
Usually PNP 6
Both 9
Usually JLP 5
Always JLP 16
Don't Vote 35
Refused 4

22. What's your age?

18 - 24 22%
25 - 43 32
35 - 44 19
45 - 54 10
55 - 64 10
65 & Older 8

23. Do you have a full-time job, or part-time job, or are you self-employed, or are you retired, or a student, or an housewife, or are you out of work and looking for a job, or are you out of work and not looking for a job at the present time, or what?

Full-Time 26%
Part-Time 16
Self-Employed 24

Retired 6
Student 10
Housewife 3
Sick/Disabled 1

Out of Work - Looking 10
Out of Work - Not Looking 2

(IF FULL-TIME, PART-TIME, OR SELF-EMPLOYED) What type of work do you do?

Farmer 16%
Tradesman 14
Business person 7
Farmer 6
Teacher 3
Professional 2

By Observation: Sex:
Male 52%
Female 48