“FNM loss of support not surprising”, says PLP

“FNM loss of support not surprising”, says PLP
Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Senator Fred Mitchell.

“The results of the Public Domain poll do not surprise us,” lamented Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell, after a recent poll showed that the Minnis administration’s approval rating now sits at 44 per cent.

The statistics released by Bahamian data analytic company Public Domain suggested that public satisfaction with the Free National Movement (FNM) government is on the decline.

While the FNM remains mum on the report, the opposition wasted no time giving their feedback.

“The results are broadly similar to our own private polls tracking these matters.  The anecdotal evidence is everywhere to be seen and heard,” said Mitchell.

“When you disaggregate the opinions, it appears that the independent voters have shifted back to their studied positions. The PLPs base is completely fed up. Together they appear to make up the majority who are dissatisfied.”

The figures, released Wednesday, indicate a satisfaction rate of 44 per cent for the government, compared to numbers released for the same period last year.

Voter satisfaction is on a steady decline since the Minnis administration’s May 2017 sweeping win at the polls, according to the poll.

Eyewitness News attempted to get a response from Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Carl Culmer on Thursday, however he was unable to provide a comment at that time.

Public Domain released its April 2018 poll data on:

  1. satisfaction with the government’s performance and
  2. whether the country is going in the right or wrong direction.

Meantime, the PLP had its own list of bones to pick with the government.

The chairman noted, “Our private soundings tell us that three things come up that account for the level of malaise: the inability of the Government to manage the country’s finances; the inability to identify with common people’s concerns; and the hypocrisy that has been uncovered in light of the deceit and untruths of the campaign that have been revealed.”

He said while the government grapples to get the country’s affairs in order, the opposition party is preparing itself for a return to governance in the next General Election.

“We are concentrating on rebuilding and the fundamentals of the structure for a modern party ready to govern on day one; one voter at a time.”

About Theo Sealy

Theo Sealy is an award-winning journalist who serves as senior broadcast reporter and weekend TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. He has achieved several career milestones, including his work as a field contributor with CNN, his coverage of four consecutive general elections, his production of several docuseries and his Bahamas Press Club Awards win for “Best Television News Story” in 2018.