On June 5th, 2019, the HTS E-Poll posed the following question: If a general election was called today, would you vote for the UWP or the SLP? Sixty four percent of responders said that they would vote for the SLP. Once they were made public, the results raised some concerns among various members of the public in relation to their credibility. Stanley Lucien, Editor of HTS, when informed of these concerns, responded “What reason does anyone have at this particular point for raising concerns about the E-Poll?” Lucien said that he is open to criticism, and is available to anyone who wishes to articulate their concerns or queries about how the E-Poll is run.
Lucien went on to express, “The E-Poll has been running for years, so my question is, ‘what motive would someone have for questioning the credibility of the E-poll now?’ It is the 3rd Anniversary of the date that the UWP came into power and I think it was an appropriate question to ask. The present administration says they’ve been doing a great job while the Opposition insists that they have not. We simply wanted to know what the people thought about the Government’s performance by asking who they would vote for if elections were called today. That is why we asked the question.”
Lucien stated that people can vote via text or WhatsApp, via mobile or computer, or through Facebook. Only one vote is allowed per device which he says prevents people from casting multiple votes for the same question. Joseph also stated that the E-Poll is open to question-suggestions from the general public and that everyone is welcome to make a contribution. Lucien further added, “No matter what the results of our E-Poll turn out to be, there will always be people who will disagree with the results. Their disagreement is only proof of a difference in opinion, and does not in any way discredit the integrity of the E-Poll.”
The E-Poll covers a wide range of topics and has in the past asked questions such as “Do you think the breakdown in the traditional family structure is fuelling violent criminal activity in St Lucia?” and “Do you support the mayor’s efforts to relocate the Jeremie St vendors?” The recent E-Poll question may have gained more attention than previous questions as it relates to elections.
Saint Lucia is two years away from the next general election, which is due in 2021. In the past nine general elections which Saint Lucia has had since 1979, the SLP has won four and the UWP has won five. If the E-Poll results reflect in the next general elections it would mean that both parties will have an equal of five wins and five losses to their names, which could further mean that both parties have an equal opportunity of winning an election. Saint Lucia’s political parties continue to strive against each other for the next victory, but only the populace and time will tell which of the two parties shall claim it.
