–opinion poll shows

OPPOSITION Leader Aubrey Norton has not been met with any kind of favourable national political attitudes in the politically and culturally polarised society, according to Dr. Vishnu Bisram of the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA).

Based on an opinion poll conducted by Dr. Bisram over the last few weeks, unlike Norton, President Dr. Irfaan Ali is very likeable and popular.

“The PNC leader has been struggling to win peoples’ confidence and for support or traction within his own party’s political base as well as nationally,” the association stated.

NACTA has been monitoring political attitudes, favourability or positive views and unfavourability or negative views, towards leading politicians.

“While the public has a huge net positive favourable rating of President Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, among others, there is a net negative favourability rating of Norton unlike several others (like Amanza Walton-Desir, Ganesh Mahipaul, Roysdale Forde, Geeta Chandan, Volda Lawrence, Christopher Jones, among others) within his party who have a positive net rating,” the association added.

Norton was elected Leader of the Opposition in December 2021, but according to Dr. Bisram, the PNC leader has since been struggling to gain traction within the party and win national appeal to solidify his place at the helm of the opposition.

The release from NACTA stated that surveys conducted in December 2021 and in February 2022 found favourable support for Norton becoming Opposition Leader.

“It was felt that since he won the leadership contest, he had the right to serve as Opposition Leader. He became Opposition Leader in April 2021 and ever since he has been losing popular appeal within the party’s base,” the association said.

NACTA added: “He trails others in popularity ratings within the party base. Support for him as leader of the PNC has whittled away and plateaued. Only 13 per cent of traditional PNC supporters back him, whereas his political opponent, President Irfaan Ali, has soaring approval ratings in his party’s base and sixtieth percentile nationally.”

Norton, according to NACTA has no cross-over ethnic support, and he is not attracting support from floating or middle-of-the-ground voters critical to winning an election.

“Discontented traditional supporters of the PPP reject him. He is not viewed, not even among PNC supporters, as an alternative President in the making to replace incumbent Irfaan Ali,” the association said.

NACTA related that President Ali comes across as a populist likeable leader whereas Norton is viewed as the opposite, and not surprisingly he lags behind President Ali in popular appeal and voter support.

The general view among the national public is that the PNC will not rebound under Norton’s leadership and will lose the upcoming Local Government Election (LGE).

Respondents are of the view that Norton should make way for younger, more likeable leadership of the PNC to stem the tide against support loss.