BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 9th, 2017 (PRESS SEC) — A majority of Kittitians and Nevisians surveyed in a Don Anderson poll last month showed a high level of awareness of the Team Unity Government’s achievements so far – two years into its five-year mandate – and expressed an appreciation of the administration’s robust communications efforts.
The privately commissioned poll was conducted among 506 registered voters in all 11 of the constituencies in the Federation.
“When we asked them open-ended questions like, ‘In your view, what are some of the things that the Team Unity Government has done well that you are satisfied with?’ people talked about clearly the removal of VAT on things like food, medicines and funeral expenses, and people also talked about the payment to the former sugar workers. So these are two things that stood out amongst a list of about 10 items that people have identified. These were two that occupied the minds of the majority of the persons that were interviewed,” Mr. Don Anderson said yesterday, Saturday, April 8th, 2017.
The fact that the public is well informed speaks to the strong media culture that abounds in St. Kitts and Nevis. Importantly, too, this speaks to the effectiveness of the information that the Team Unity Government issues regularly through channels such as Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris’ monthly press conferences; the administration’s series of town hall meetings and one-on-one consultations across the Federation; the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS), and the Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The prominent pollster from Jamaica, who established his highly reputable firm Market Research Services Limited in 1975, added that, “One of the things, of course, they [who were surveyed] talked about was communication with the people, and this is a cry from constituents all over the Caribbean. People are saying it is important to communicate with them. In that way, they believe they will better understand what the government is doing… and the data does suggest that people are aware that much work has been done [by the Team Unity Government].”
Mr. Anderson continued: “The whole question of communication is now very much on top of the minds of the people, and they see this as a good thing. Essentially, what they are saying is, don’t stop it - we really need to be constantly communicating.”
“This [situation in St. Kitts and Nevis] is different,” he noted yesterday, further stating that: “In a number of other jurisdictions, we find that governments fail on the basis of their inability to communicate, and what they [who were surveyed] are saying is that this [the Team Unity Government’s frequent communication with them] is a good thing. Therefore, keep it up! Keep it up!”
Mr. Don Anderson added: “The principle of communication is really very much appreciated by the people…The concept of communication has really resonated very well with the people. So those town hall meetings are good. People are now seeing and hearing more about what is happening, and they are saying this is what they want…and they want to see that enhanced.”
Notably, Mr. Don Anderson, Executive Chairman of Market Research Services Limited, correctly predicted the outcome of the last general election in St. Kitts and Nevis based on polling data.
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