There is a problem with the Vishnu Bisram survey

Aug 25, 2015 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
There is a problem with the Vishnu Bisram survey which was reported in three parts in your newspaper
The first was published in KN on the 17 August 2015, titled “Give New Government a chance but”. It said that the survey was conducted over the week, without specifying the dates. This is very odd indeed. “Over the last week”would suggest sometime between the 3 and 14 August 2015.
Quoting directly it said that, “The survey, conducted by myself over the last week, interviewed 430 voters (41% Indians, 31% Africans, 18% Mixed, 9% Amerindians, and 1% other ethnic groups) to reflect the demographic composition of the population”…The poll also queried people on a number of other issues the findings of which will be released in a subsequent report”.
The second (presumably one of the subsequent reports) was published on 21 August 2015, entitled (“There is widespread support for a Government of National Unity”). This publication said that, “The survey was conducted by Dr. Vishnu Bisram last week interviewing 430 voters that reflected the demographic composition of the population”. This would put the survey period somewhere between 3-14 August, 2015.
The third (assumed to be part of the same survey) was published on 23 August 2015 (“Majority approve of Granger’s performance, say give him a chance”). This report did not say when the survey was done. Instead it proceeded to report on two sets of answers yielding two sets of data: one referred to the early days of the APNU-AFC administration versus three months later.
The data for the early days approval/disapproval rating (not clear what dates) was that,
“David Granger as President, 55% approved (including a significant percentage of PPP supporters) in the early days of his Presidency with 39% disapproving. Nagamootoo’s approval rating was 57% to 36%
The data for three months later was that,
“The approval/disapproval rating of Granger, Nagamootoo and the government respectively in mid-August stood at: 48-44%, 46-45%, and 45-50%”.
Now Editor, unless one does not understand the methodology, there is a problem. If the survey was done once sometime between 3-14 August, 2015, then how is it possible to collect data on the early days of the new Government, which is then compared to opinions collected three months later? That is, the results which are now published in August. If the survey was done more than once, then what was (were) the date(s) of the earlier survey(s)?
I repeat my concerns with this survey. Apart from the methodological questions that would challenge its authenticity, the noticeable thing about the reports is how the criticisms about the direction of the APNU-AFC align exactly with those of the PPP’s. More importantly, the reported answers appear to support the view that the purpose is to undermine APNU-AFC, and the model of majority rule which it represents, including by driving a wedge between the two. For example, “Supporters of the PPP are now viewing Nagamootoo and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan as “window dressing” feeling they should resign from the government”.
Ivor Carryl

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