Jamaicans focused on accountability, transparency

Jamaicans are likely to vote for the political party that showcases accountability and transparency in its activities in the next general election, the latest national survey has revealed.

The survey was conducted by the Don Anderson-led Market Research Services Limited (MRSL).

Only persons aged 18 years and older and registered to vote were included in the sample.

The margin of error was plus or minus three per cent at the 95 per cent confidence level.

Fieldwork was conducted between November 24 and December 7, 2023.

The poll was designed and conducted by MRSL with financial support from what the company describes as a group of senior corporate executives of a publicly listed entity.

Asked what either of the political parties could do to get them to vote in the next general election, 12 per cent of the 1,015 Jamaicans surveyed said they would vote for the political party that shows accountability and transparency in what they do.

Describing the data as a significant new trend, Anderson told The Gleaner that the response is “consistent with them thinking that the question of corruption and cover-ups, and so on, has become so much more important to them”.

The veteran pollster noted that this is the first time that the issue of accountability and transparency has ranked this high in reasons influencing voting.

It featured third among the factors guiding the vote of the respondents. Twenty-two per cent of respondents, or 223 persons, say they would vote for the party that creates more job opportunities, while 13 per cent said their vote would go to the party that develops infrastructure such as roads, water, and light.

Anderson said there were more men in the 12 per cent who wanted more accountability and transparency than women. Of the six categories of age groups for participants, the demand for accountability and transparency was greatest among the 45- to 54-year-olds. Seventeen per cent of this age group said they would vote for the party that shows accountability and transparency in what it does.

Fourteen per cent of respondents said nothing could be done to get them to vote in the next general election.

Meanwhile, Derrick Smith, a former Cabinet minister in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government, said the interest in accountability and transparency from political parties is indicative of a changing electorate.

“My 35 years as an elected representative, I did not encounter a lot of that, but I did encounter some of all the others, which suggests to me that perhaps the electorate is improving, or, should I say, is getting a lot more selective in terms of the reasons for going to a general election,” Smith told The Gleaner.

He credits the work of the Integrity Commission (IC) and civil society as the driver of this change.

“I believe it could be, in recent times, the wide-ranging discussions on occasion about the work of the IC, or it could be an assertiveness on the part of civil society highlighting transparency and accountability,” he said.

However, although he believes it is still early for the polls as the general election is constitutionally due in 2025, Smith nonetheless believes that it bodes well for the Holness-led administration.

“What’s happening now is unprecedented in terms of persons being employed ... the level of unemployment is at its lowest that it has ever been,” he said. “As it relates to infrastructure, we just have to drive around the country to see infrastructural development, both in water, light, and, in particular, roads,” he added.

Jamaica’s unemployment rate now stands at 4.5 per cent, the lowest in its history.

However, according to Anderson, this is a “very vague assessment of employment”.

“If you work something like a few hours in a week then you are employed,” he said.

Stating that employment opportunities are scarce, Anderson outlined that more than 50 per cent of the Jamaican people are within the middle to lower socio economic group, where there are few jobs available.

“So when you get a bump in terms of the number of people employed, it is tempting to say jobs are more plentiful, but it has never been so. So this whole question about job opportunities is consistent with what we are finding in the other polls that we do,” he said.

A further breakdown of the responses showed that 10 per cent would vote if the parties became more visible in their communities while eight per cent would vote for the party with a better mandate. Six per cent said they would vote if they personally benefited.

Meanwhile, five per cent of respondents wanted more educational opportunities.

Similarly, five per cent wanted policies that made life better for all Jamaicans.

It mattered to only two per cent of the respondents whether the candidate was approachable or was a people person.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com