A recent nationwide poll has revealed what many have long suspected: There is a deep dissatisfaction with the current administration and the direction the country is headed in, but people are also unhappy with their options for change.
The Public Domain Poll conducted between August 8 and August 16 found that only 14 percent of respondents said they would vote for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) if an election was held tomorrow.
This might seem like good news for the Official Opposition, but according to the poll, the Free National Movement (FNM) has no cause for celebration.
Among those who responded, only 18 percent said they would vote for the FNM if an election were held tomorrow. Fifteen percent said they would vote for the Democratic National Alliance (DNA); one percent said they would vote for the Gatekeepers and two percent said they would vote independent.
It is unclear when the election will be called, but among those responding to the question, 16 percent said they are undecided. Twenty-six percent said they would not vote if the election were held tomorrow, and another nine percent preferred not to say.
In the executive summary that accompanied the survey, Public Domain, a locally experienced market research firm with over five years of experience in both the public and private sectors, said the results show that there is a huge appetite for a change on the political landscape.
"Bahamians consider the country is heading in the wrong direction and are dissatisfied with the current administration," researchers concluded.
"Thus, there is a huge appetite for change in the political landscape and they do not think the PLP led by Perry Christie should be re-elected." Fifty-two percent of the 1,000 respondents said they "definitely won't" vote for the PLP.
Another seven percent said they "probably won't" vote for the PLP. That's 59 percent who said they either definitely won't vote for the PLP, or probably won't vote for the party. Eleven percent said they "might" and another 16 percent did not know. As it relates to the FNM, 37 percent said they "definitely won't" vote for that party. Another seven percent said they "probably won't".
That's 44 percent who said they definitely won't vote for the FNM, or probably won't vote for the party. Twenty-two percent said they "might". Researchers said the situation is in flux. "As of today, Bahamians do not know which party they will support and political affiliation is at a record low," Public Domain wrote in the executive summary.
The Nassau Guardian did not contact Public Domain President Mwale Rahming for this story. In previous matters related to surveys financed by Public Domain, Rahming has explained that 1,000 is a respectable sampling size for the Bahamian population. Asked previously to respond to observers who might see that sampling size as insignificant, Rahming explained: "What we use is called random sampling, and in random sampling the important attribute has to be that each and every Bahamian has an equal opportunity of being sampled," he explained.
"Our sampling is done randomly by a computer and we adhere to international best practices when it comes to transparency and who we are and what we do." According to The Nassau Guardian's source, who provided the survey on condition of anonymity, it was financed by senior PLP members. For more on the survey, titled "Political Study -- The Bahamas" and dated September 2016, see today's National Review.
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