Tonight, the PUP government is again the victim of another crushing poll result. The University of Belize today published the results of a poll called "The People's Perception of Election 2008." The opinions of 430 randomly selected persons were sampled nationally via telephone.
Pollsters asked respondents two questions: Who would you vote for as the next Prime Minister? Which party would you vote for in the next general elections?
For the first question:
- 14.9% of the sample said they would vote for Said Musa,
- while 55.7% said they would vote for Dean Barrow.
- The independents were led by the NRP's Cornelius Dueck who was supported by 8.9% respondents.
On the second question of which party they would vote for:
- 55.5% of the respondents said they would vote for the UDP,
- while 16% would vote for the PUP.
- The NRP would get 8.9%,
- VIP, 7.3%,
- the PNP 2.6%,
- and the We the People Movement 2.4%.
Breakdown by district sees the United Democratic Party getting the lowest approval rating in the Corozal District with 43.9% and the highest at 63.6% in the Stann Creek District. The PUP's strongest support is in the Corozal District at 25% and the least support is in the Toledo District at 16.7%.
In the Stann Creek District the poll indicates that 20.5% of those sampled in that district would vote for the VIP, while 36.7% in the Toledo District would also vote for the VIP, notably getting more approval in these districts than the People's United Party.
It's also notable that the poll finds that in the Belize District sample, the Prime Minister at 12.8% only has a narrow lead of less than a percentage point on Paul Morgan and Cornelius Dueck who earns 12 of the support from the sample group. In other districts, the poll records that the support for independent leaders actually surpasses that for the Prime Minister.
UB conducted the poll, but despite attempts made by phone and in persons we were unable to discuss the results with UB's point man Dr. Roy Young.
Not surprisingly, the PUP has out rightly rejected the poll. A spokesperson called it illegitimate and prepared by statisticians who have no credibility.
