Three out of four voters believe the business community is not sacrificing enough during the economic crisis.

According to a poll by Mindmaps, 76 percent of people do not think business is “doing all it can to share sacrifices” in the recession.

Just 16 percent say business is doing enough, with the rest undecided.

A breakdown by race shows dissatisfaction is strongest among blacks, with 84 percent wanting more from the business community, compared with 58 percent of whites.

And it’s the younger generation that has the most grievance, with 87 percent of the 18 to 34 age bracket unsatisfied with the business community’s contribution, compared with 62 percent of over 65s.

The poll, carried out in mid-November, shows the economy is easily the number one issue on the minds of residents, with little faith in the One Bermuda Alliance’s ability to turn the situation around.

Seventy percent of people describe the economy or unemployment as the top issue facing the Island, with crime second on 13 percent.

Education comes next on five percent, with tourism on four percent, and a small handful of votes for other issues including immigration, Government corruption and breakdown of the family unit.

Just 15 percent of people have confidence in the direction Bermuda’s economy is heading, with 48 percent saying they’re not confident and the rest somewhere in between.

Morale is highest among the 35 to 44 age bracket, of whom 25 percent are confident in the economy, and lowest among 55- to 64-year-olds, with just ten percent confident.

Whites (20 percent) are more confident about the future of the economy than blacks (14 percent), while men (19 percent) are more confident than women (13 percent).

Twenty-one percent of people say they are confident in the OBA’s ability to turn the economic crisis around, with 45 percent declaring themselves not confident.

Faith in the OBA is strongest among whites, of whom 32 percent believe they can fix the economy, compared with 17 percent of blacks; and 29 percent of men back the OBA’s ability in this regard, compared with 15 percent of women.

The poll was commissioned by The Royal Gazette, but two of the questions were set by the political parties, at the invitation of Mindmaps.

The Progressive Labour Party asked whether people thought the business community is doing enough to share sacrifices in these economic times, and the OBA wanted to know public confidence in the ruling party’s ability to turn the economy around.

Mindmaps Director of Research, Dr Leslie Steede, explained: “We decided to include one question each provided by the Government and Opposition parties so they both had an equal chance to find out how the voting public feels about a top issue. Both parties chose to include a question about the economy.”

The telephone poll of 404 registered voters took place between November 17 and November 24, and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.