Since 1962 when it achieved its independence,
Jamaica has changed governments relatively
peacefully. The fact that Jamaica has a fairly st
able democracy is remarkable considering the
serious challenges associated with
relatively high levels of po
litical violence during the 1970s
and 1980s, crime and prolonged economic problems.
The data presented in this report presents a pi
cture of the Jamaican democracy during June to
September of 2006, when the field work was undertak
en. The data were collected at a period of
political transition, less than three months afte
r former Prime Minister
P.J Patterson handed over
the reigns of government to the first female
Prime Minister of the country, Portia Simpson-
Miller, in March 2006. Mrs. Simp
son-Miller is a populist who lead
s a government that has been
in power following four unprecedented consecutiv
e electoral victories. While Mrs. Simpson-
Miller remains a popular leader
in the country, her party, the Pe
oples National Party (PNP), has
been losing its popular appeal in favour of th
e opposition party, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).