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Jamaica's ruling PNP getsnod as more credible party
The ruling People's National Party (PNP)is considered by voters a more credible alternative than the JamaicaLabour Party (JLP), according to the last opinion survey for theObserver by the Stone Organisation.
But the poll, in which the PNP enjoyed an8.5 percentage point lead on the credibility factor, was conductedin mid September, well ahead of Wednesday's formal announcementby Bruce Golding that he is returning to the JLP, which the Oppositionhopes will give it a boost among voters.
In this survey, Stone, for the first time,asked voting age Jamaicans, which of the two major parties wasmore credible, based on what they said they would do if they wonthe October 16 general election.
In the case of the PNP, people were invitedto examine its record since it came to office in 1989 againstthe JLP's election promise and what it achieved when it formedthe government between 1980 and 1989.
According to Stone, 36.3 per cent said thatthe PNP's promises were more credible and believable, against27.8 per cent who made that claim for the JLP.
However, a hefty 35 per cent said they didnot know whose policies were more credible.
It was not immediately clear how the Goldingfactor will impact on views about the JLP's credibility and, ultimately,the party's standing among voters.
Golding, who was the JLP's chairman andheir-apparent to its leader, Edward Seaga, walked out of the party,with about a dozen other senior JLP politicians, claiming thatthe party was not engaging his concepts for reform in the constitutionaland parliamentary processes to make the political process lessdivisive and more accountable.
Golding formed the National Democratic Movement(NDM), whose main platform was constitutional reform, includingseparation of powers, in a system that would resemble the US presidentialand congressional model.
Golding, who resigned the leadership ofthe NDM 17 months ago, finally abandoned the party he spawnedthis week, after reaching an agreement with the JLP to embrace,or, look at some of the principles over which he had fought.
On the issue of separation of powers, theJLP, which supports the continuation of the Westminster styleof parliamentary democracy, promised that if it wins the electionthe separation of powers issue would be one of the questions itwould put to a referendum on constitutional reform within twoyears of coming to office.
The JLP is hoping that the presence of Goldingwill add to the credibility of its leadership and help to reversea 3.4 percentage lead by the PNP in voter support in a July surveyby Stone.
But Golding's return to the JLP, while hailedby that party, has caused wide-spread debate over his credibility.