THE EDITOR, Sir:
SINCE THE general election of October 16, we have seen a few pollsters and analysts claiming to have got it right, however, Mark Wignall of the Stone Poll has been avoiding discussing the polls like a plague.
Looking back at the polls, one finds that all the pollsters and analysts got the voter turnout dead wrong, except D.K. Duncan.
Don Anderson was wrong by 19 per cent, while the big loser, Mark Wignall/Stone Poll, was wrong by 16 per cent.
As regard to seat count, Tony Myers was wrong in eight seats after predicting PNP 42, JLP 18.
Lloyd B. Smith was bang on with his Western seats predictions, only missing out on Western Hanover and South East St. Elizabeth.
Don Anderson's seat predictions were wrong in six seats, namely Clarendon North Western (as everyone was) St. Mary South Eastern, Hanover Eastern, St. James North Western, St. Andrew West Central, St. Catherine South Western (see page 2A of The Sunday Gleaner of October 6, 2002). Tony Myers was dead wrong as to St. Ann, Hanover and St. Catherine.
The biggest loser of all was, however, Mark Wignall/Stone Poll, who got every single thing wrong. There was no landslide victory by nine per cent. He was wrong as to turnouts by 16 per cent, wrong as to the JLP percentage by seven per cent, thereby understating it. Wrong in the PNP's lead over the JLP by five per cent (29 per cent to 38 per cent instead of 36 to 40.5).
As a result, the Mark Wignall/Stone Poll is now irrelevant in any future polling in Jamaica. Congrats to Don Anderson, Lloyd B. Smith and D.K. Duncan, three true professionals; the others should retire.
I am, etc.,
GEORGE BROWN
Miami
Florida
USA
