THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has closed 2022 on a towering path with growing support, particularly in non-traditional bases, according to the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA).

According to a release from NACTA, general elections are not due until another two and a half years, but if those elections were to be held soon, the incumbent PPP/C is projected to gain a least an additional two seats in parliament.

“PPP is picking up support in urban and hinterland areas resulting in gain of a minimum additional two seats in next election. This is one finding of an ongoing tracking poll conducted by political scientist, Dr. Vishnu Bisram, for NACTA,” the association said.

The latest electoral projections were obtained from interviews in surveys conducted in December, November, October, and September of 2022, involving some 2,500 respondents who reflect the general demographics of the population.

Earlier surveys conducted (under a similar confidence level of 95 per cent) in August, April, March, and January revealed similar trends in national findings – an increase in support for the PPP/C with loss of support for the opposition PNC/APNU+AFC.

According to NACTA: “Nobody should be surprised by this finding: The PPP is united and its ministers, MPs, and grassroots activists have gone all over the country, taking the government to the people, doling out handouts, while the coalition and the PNC itself seem divided over leadership and political strategies.

“The PPP/C’s gain is attributed primarily to the performance of the government and popularity of its three main political figures – President, Dr. Irfaan Ali; Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, and Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips — and the unpopularity of the opposition and its political leader, Aubrey Norton.”

NACTA reported that PNC/APNU+AFC base is not excited about its leader and by extension the electoral prospect of the party under his leadership; Norton has completed just one year as leader.

“The opposition is languishing under his leadership. Norton has virtually no support among certain sections of the population… Norton has gained no traction among the middle and upper-class traditional party supporters while on the job and is projected to take the party down to its worst defeat in local elections expected by this year,” the association reported.

Unlike for Norton, NACTA said PPP/C’s leader, Dr. Jagdeo, is highly popular in his party’s traditional base.

“Unlike Norton, Jagdeo, Ali, and Phillips travelled all over the country to interact with the public. Jagdeo’s overall net satisfactory rate on likeability is hugely positive as compared with high negatives for Norton. Irfaan and Phillips also have high positive net ratings as President and PM respectively,” the association reported.

The survey’s findings show the PPP/C making in-roads among Amerindians and Afro-Guyanese who traditionally vote PNC.

“Many Africans, who normally vote PNC, say President Ali has been doing a good or satisfactory job… the findings also reveal that Amerindians are abandoning other parties and gravitating towards the PPP because of the enormous resources committed to their communities,” NACTA said.

Every Guyanese has been benefitting tremendously from soft loans, jobs, grants, housing, potable water, solar electricity, salary increases, subsidies, bonuses, scholarships, among other things.
The PPP/C’s gains among non-traditional bases are attributed to the rejection of Norton as leader of the opposition, the association said.

“The support of the PNC or APNU or the coalition lies in leadership. If the official opposition were to have an excited leader, it could hold its base and make gains among non-traditional supporters to put up a strong fight against the PPP,” NACTA related.