Jamaicans have given a resounding approval to the announcement by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller that political campaigning should take a one-week break during the celebration of Emancipation Day and Independence Day on August 1 and 6 respectively.

A Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll, conducted among 1,008 persons islandwide a week after the announcement, found that 74 per cent of respondents believed the idea was a good one. A mere 17 per cent said it was not, while nine per cent offered no view. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus three per cent.

During her address at a People's National Party (PNP) mass rally in Half-Way Tree Square, St. Andrew, on July 8, Mrs. Simpson Miller announced August 27 as the election date, and stated that her party would cease campaigning during the period of the national holidays. She also called on the religious community to use the period for prayer and reflection.

Nearly 70 per cent of persons interviewed by Johnson's polling team said they had heard or viewed the Prime Minister's widely anticipated address via the electronic media. But a significant plurality - 42 per cent - of respondents said they would have preferred if she had called the date of the national polls sooner. Almost a similar number - 41 per cent said August 27 was a good date to cast their ballots. Only a few respondents - eight per cent - wanted the election to be held beyond August, while nine per cent did not share a view.

Before her disclosure of the election date on July 8, speculation was rife that the Prime Minister would have chosen the latter part of July to go to the polls. So, following her announcement of August 27, critics flayed Simpson Miller that her decision was influenced by a belief in numerology and the signi-ficance of the number seven - the election date being seven weeks away from the time of announcement.

Do you agree that political campaigning should cease during Emancipation and Independence celebrations?

Yes -74%

No -17%

Don't know -9%

Do you think the prime Minister should have set the election date sooner or later?

Sooner -42%

Later in the year -8%

Good date -41%

Don't know -9%

Source: Bill Johnson Poll, July 2007