The Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) has released the results of its latest poll – the third poll since 2005 – this time designed to survey public opinion on the much-debated Universal Health Services debt with the Belize Bank.
According to the “Voice of the People” poll, most people think that the Prime Minister, Hon. Said Musa, is primarily responsible for the people ending up with a $33 million debt they think they should not pay. (See charts with responses from questions #4 and 5)
SPEAR reports that 87.1% of the 414 adults they polled over the weekend said Musa should have told Belizeans of his intent to enter into the guarantee for UHS with the Belize Bank. Additionally, 85.3% say that taxpayers should not foot the $33 million bill.
Asked whether the Prime Minister should have gotten National Assembly approval before guaranteeing the UHS loan, 73.1% agreed, 16.9% disagreed, 5.6% had no opinion and 4.4% said they don’t know. An overwhelming 82.8% said he should have first gotten Cabinet approval.
The poll also tried to get a sense of people’s opinion on where the burden of responsibility lies for the signing of the guarantee: 38.2% feel the burden is on the Prime Minister alone, and 31% feel it is both him and his Cabinet who are responsible, while 22.2% say it is the Public Finance Committee. 8.6% say they don’t know.
An estimated 87% of the people polled have no or low confidence in the current political administration, and roughly 70% want general elections now.
The two previous “Voice of the People” polls also tried to find out public opinion on early elections. In the poll of October 2006, 62.5% said they wanted general elections within 6 months, while in 2005, 71.6% of those polled said that elections should be called early.
General elections are due by March 2008.