IN A clear indication that issues are becoming more important than party loyalty in the political forum, the latest Gleaner-Don Anderson poll shows that the most significant factor influencing voters in the forthcoming election is who has the best plans for the country.

Conducted between September 23 and 27 and canvassing 2,232 persons islandwide, with emphasis on a number of marginal constituencies, the poll revealed a "move towards reduced reliance on the question of party loyalty and more so on objective measurement".

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 per cent.

Just over 35 per cent of all persons who have decided to vote on October 16 "indicate that they would be leaning to the party that in their view had the best plans for the country," according to Mr. Anderson. The second most popular factor, with 27.2 per cent, is "the party that best addresses the things that are important to the people of Jamaica".

"There has been ongoing discussion as to the extent to which the electorate has shifted from reliance on party allegiance to more critical evaluation of issues involved in deciding which party to vote for," Mr. Anderson explained.

Only 11 per cent of those canvassed put party loyalty as the main reason for voting for a particular party in the elections.

"It is clear that the electorate is beginning to look beyond straight and blind allegiance to party, to scooping the area for more wholesome bases on which to assess which party to support in an election," Mr. Anderson added.

According to Mr. Anderson and his team from Market Research Services Limited, the poll also revealed the importance the electorate attaches to strong leadership. "For those uncommitted/will not vote, the performance of the party leader could influence some of them," Mr. Anderson said. He said that 17.6 per cent of those who will vote placed the leadership issue as the determining factor.

"There is no question that the issue of the role and performance of the respective leaders is important," Mr. Anderson said.