Complaint leads to early publication of <i>Xarabank</i> survey

A Xarabank survey, showing Lawrence Gonzi enjoying huge popular support over the other two contestants in the Nationalist Party leadership race, was released two days ahead of schedule by order of Public Broadcasting Services

The findings indicate that 71.3 per cent of respondents believe Dr Gonzi will win the leadership elections; 16 per cent said John Dalli would win and 9.2 per cent opted for Louis Galea.

Sources said the directive by the PBS board of directors was issued after Mr Dalli complained about the programme content. Xarabank is broadcast every Friday on Television Malta, which belongs to PBS.

Malta Broadcasting Authority chief executive officer Kevin Aquilina would not give any details on the issue but confirmed that a letter was being studied by PBS.

In a statement, P. J. Vassallo Mintoff, for the Xarabank team, said the survey result scheduled for tomorrow's programme were published yesterday by the programme producers - Where's Everybody? - in line with a PBS directive.

"The poll was of considerable public interest. In light of this we (the PBS board) insist that you publish the result immediately so that enough time would be available for the result of be discussed," Mr Vassallo Mintoff said they had been told.

PN councillors are expected to vote for the new leader on Saturday afternoon.

He said the PBS board also insisted that a discussion on the survey findings and on the result of other polls carried out during the PN leadership campaign should take place during tomorrow's programme.

The PBS directive was also confirmed by programme presenter Peppi Azzopardi when contacted.

Asked to comment he said that on its part Where's Everybody? had no objection and perhaps it was better to publish the survey results immediately in order to give time for public discussion.

Mr Azzopardi said tomorrow's Xarabank will include interviews with the three contenders and this in view of the fact that party policy prohibits candidates for the PN leadership to take direct part in any programme.

The programme will also feature a discussion among persons who sympathise with any of the three contenders and collaborators.

Mr Dalli referred to the survey while addressing councillors at the PN club in San Gwann. "We are hearing that a survey has been conducted by Xarabank. I do not know the result and I am not interested. Nobody should burden councillors in a bid to influence them. If you ask whether you favour the man who imposes taxes I do not think the answer is likely to be yes," Mr Dalli was quoting as saying in a statement released by his secretariat.

Main findings

¤ Asked who should become PN leader, the overwhelming majority (71.3 per cent) mentioned Lawrence Gonzi followed by John Dalli - 16 per cent and Louis Galea with 9.2 per cent.

¤ Dr Gonzi's support among the percentage of respondents who voted PN in the last general election was 78 per cent (higher than the overall percentage of 71.3 per cent). Mr Dalli garnered 13.5 per cent of support and Dr Galea 5.8 per cent.

¤ Dr Gonzi's majority is reduced by about 14 percentage points among MLP supporters. In fact, he was the preferred candidate of 57.8 per cent of respondents. Mr Dalli's percentage was higher among Labour voters (21.6 per cent) than among PN voters. Dr Galea also enjoyed increased support among MLP voters with 13.7 per cent.

¤ Dr Gonzi's majority is reflected in all age cohorts and gender groupings.

¤ 72.2 per cent of the respondents believe Dr Gonzi can be the leader to guide the PN to another electoral victory. He was followed by Mr Dalli with 16.1 per cent and Dr Galea with 7 per cent.

¤ Asked who they thought will ultimately become PN leader, 73.1 per cent said Dr Gonzi; 15.5 per cent of the respondents said the PN councillors will elect Mr Dalli and 4.7 per cent mentioned Dr Galea.

¤ Honesty and sincerity were considered the topmost qualities that the new PN leader should have. Other qualities that were mentioned were leadership skills similar to Eddie Fenech Adami's, understanding people and courage.

¤ 58 per cent said Dr Fenech Adami should step in as Malta's new President while 27.9 per cent said he should not; 14.1 per cent said they were undecided.

The survey was carried out by Malta Polls on behalf of Xarabank between February 16 - 18.

The survey was carried out by phone by the call-centre Dial-It.

A representative sample of 1,206 respondents was selected from Maltacom's telephone directory. This, the compilers said, gives an estimated margin of error of about +/- 1.5 per cent.

The results for age groups and gender were weighted with the relevant clustering as resulting from the latest Demographic Review.