Most citizens believe the result of Monday’s Chaguanas West by-election would change the national political landscape. This was the finding of the latest ANSA McAL Psychological Research Centre/University of the West Indies, St Augustine, poll. Some 526 respondents were interviewed, all of whom were eligible to vote in the by-election.
The main contenders in the July 29 election are Jack Warner (ILP), Khadijah Ameen (UNC) and Avinash Singh (PNM) but it is playing itself out as a major battle between Warner and his former party (UNC). The poll was done from July 19-21 and was supervised by Dr Derek Chadee, director at the ANSA McAL Psychological Research Centre and senior lecturer in the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
Six per cent of those polled were Afro-Trinidadians, 90 per cent Indo-Trinidadians and four per cent mixed persons. The sample consisted of 48 per cent females and 52 per cent males. Face-to-face interviews were conducted and the margin of error is plus or minus four per cent.
Do you think that the outcome of the Chaguanas West by-election will change the national political landscape?
Yes = 72 per cent.
No = 18 per cent.
Don’t know = 10 per cent.
The majority of respondents (72 per cent) said the outcome of the Chaguanas West by-election would change the national political landscape. Specifically, 72 per cent stated “yes”; 18 per cent “no” and ten per cent “don’t know.” Examination of responses by ethnicity showed minor differences among ethnic groups. Specifically, 78 per cent mixed persons, 73 per cent Afro-Trinidadians and 72 per cent Indo-Trinidadians stated “yes”.
The response “no” was given by 22 per cent mixed, 18 per cent Afro-Trinidadians and 17 per cent Indo-Trinidadians. Those answering “don’t know” were 11 per cent Indo-Trinidadians, nine per cent Afro-Trinidadians and 0 per cent mixed. Analysis of responses by sex showed that males (76 per cent) were more likely than females (68 per cent) to indicate that the outcome of the Chaguanas West by-election would change the national political landscape.
The response “no” was given by 18 per cent females and 17 per cent males. Females (14 per cent) were more indecisive than males (seven per cent), indicating “don’t know” as their response. Minimal differences were observed across age groups for those saying the outcome of the by-election would change the national political landscape. Specifically, 73 per cent of the 18-30, 74 per cent of the 31-40, 72 per cent of the 41-50 and 69 per cent of the 51 years and over age group stated “yes”.
People who indicated that the outcome of the election would not create a change were 18 per cent of the 18-30, 21 per cent of the 31-40, 16 per cent of the 41-50 and 17 per cent of the 51 years and older age group. “Don’t know” was stated by nine per cent of the 18-30, five per cent of the 31-40, 11 per cent of the 41-50 and 14 per cent of the 51 years and over age group.
Analysis of responses by education showed a 15-point difference between tertiary educated people (81 per cent) and primary educated people (66 per cent). Specifically, 81 per cent tertiary, 76 per cent secondary, 73 per cent technical/vocational and 66 per cent primary-educated people stated “yes”. The response “no” was stated by 25 per cent technical/vocational, 18 per cent secondary, 17 per cent primary and 14 per cent tertiary-educated people.
Those stating “don’t know” were 17 per cent primary, six per cent secondary, five per cent tertiary and two per cent technical and vocational-educated.
More from the poll tomorrow