NACTA: Kamla, UNC riding wave of popularity

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is riding a wave of popularity one month after the UNC won the April 28 general election.

But the real test for her second administration will be its presentation of the mid-year review of the economy and how it strikes a balance between delivering its campaign promises and keeping the economy on an even keel.

Persad-Bissessar's first term as prime minister was from May 24, 2010-September 7, 2015.

These were some of the findings of a North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) survey conducted over the last two weeks.

The survey interviewed a wide range of people with various political backgrounds from traditional UNC and PNM supporters to non-partisan voters.

NACTA said, "The public remains very supportive of the government giving it time to get going."

The mid-year review, which is due to be presented later this month, will be the first real test of Persad-Bissessar's second administration.

NACTA said, "The new government has not made any pronouncements on new policy or how it will turn around a stalled economy as well as address crime which seems to have dipped since the transfer of political power."

The UNC has also not advanced certain campaign promises, such as a 10 per cent wage offer to public servants, since it won the election.

NACTA said its survey found most citizens and stakeholder groups, such as the trade unions, were not worried about that because of the traditional "honeymoon period" which is given to any new government after an election.

"Nevertheless, the Prime Minister remains popular. The surge in popularity, approval, and favourability ratings of the Prime Minister is primarily being driven by likeability of Kamla herself, her selection of candidates of new government officials, her stunning landslide victory that is a reversal of fortunes from 2015 and 2020 and her forthrightness on state of affairs."

NACTA added those reasons could be linked to "the willingness of the public to give her time to turn around the economy and improve governance."

The survey, NACTA continued, shows respondents giving Persad-Bissessar an 84 per cent approval rating after being prime minister for one month.

The survey found nine per cent of respondents were not satisfied with her performance while seven per cent offered no opinion about it.

"This is a huge jump in favourability compared with previous surveys prior to the elections and rivalling numbers when she first became prime minister in May 2010."

Apart from holding steady with traditional UNC supporters, NACTA said its survey found Persad-Bissessar's favourability has increased among some traditional PNM supporters since the election.

Citizens, NACTA continued, also approve of Persad-Bissessar's appointment of a multi-ethnic cabinet which reflects the diversity of the population and the accessibility of her government to the media early in its tenure.

NACTA said the only area of governance which citizens believe Persad-Bissessar and the UNC have been slow on so far is the appointment of boards of directors of state-controlled entities after the election.

"The public rates Kamla (UNC)’s governance as being better than that of the final months of her predecessor (Dr Keith Rowley)."

NACTA said the public was frustrated with aspects of governance from the PNM and manner in which a replacement was chosen for Rowley before the election.

Rowley resigned as prime minister on March 16 and was succeeded by Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP Stuart Young one day later. On March 18, Young announced April 28 as the election date.

The UNC won the election 26-13-2.