The Premier's popularity has slipped by nearly five percent in the last two months, topped only by the marked drop in his popularity amongst Bermuda's black population.

These were the principal findings of the Research Innovation telephone poll of 403 people between September 6 and 11.

As for the way Alex Scott handles his job as Premier, 39 percent of those participating in the poll approved ? a drop of 3.4 percent ? while the percentage of those who disapproved of him as Premier dropped by just one percent to 44.9 percent.

Mr. Scott's job handling rating improved slightly during May and July following a dismal 33.1 percent in March and 34.4 percent just after the new year.

May and July saw this particular rating remain virtually flat at 42.4 percent of the 403 people questioned.

Since January the overall opinion of Alex Scott has see-sawed from 39.4 percent in January, 45.5 percent in March, 50.6 percent in May, 55.3 percent in July and finally 50.1 percent this month.

While his performance as Premier has remained almost steady with January's poll recording a 34.4 percent approved, 33.1 percent in March, 42.7 percent in May and 42.4 percent in July before sliding to 39 percent in this months' poll.

Mr. Scott's popularity as Premier with the young has always been high, but this month slipped from 65.5 percent to 37.8 percent of those polled between the ages of 18 and 35, while the 36 to 54 age group reportedly viewed Mr. Scott in a favourable light at 44.7 percent.

As for the younger generations overall opinion of Mr. Scott, those in the 18 to 35 age group found him favourable at 45.4 percent, with 37 percent finding him unfavourable.

In the 36 to 54 age group, 54.7 favoured him, while 34 percent did not and in the 55 and older age group, it was an even split at 47.9 percent.

When it comes to the sexes, men approve more of Mr. Scott as Premier than women with a respective 40.5 percent and 38.1 percent.

The same can be said for his overall opinion of Mr. Scott with men liking him more than women at a respective 53.2 percent and 48.4 percent.

The ratings in May and July saw lower income groups approving of Mr. Scott as Premier more than the wealthy, while September showed only 35.5 percent of those earning below $50,000 thought he was doing a good job as Premier, with 47.3 percent disapproving.

Even in the top income bracket of over $100,000, approval of the Premier is split with 39.5 percent approving of him and 52 percent disapproving of him as Premier.

Meanwhile the $500,000 to $100,000 group, 42.3 percent ? the highest figure ? approved of him as Premier, while 40 percent disapproved of him.

But when it comes to the overall opinion of Mr. Scott, the more you earn ? the more you like him with 48.4 percent of those in the $50,000 and less bracket finding him favourable compared to 52 percent in the $50,000 to $100,000 bracket and 50 percent of those earning more than $100,000 finding him favourable.

But the most remarkable slip in the polls comes from the black population, with 48.1 percent ? compared to 71.1 percent in July approving of him as Premier.

Once again his desire, expressed on coming to power in 2003, to forge a better relationship with the white community continues not to be reflected in poll numbers, however, with more than 62 percent of whites questioned disapproving of the way Mr. Scott handled his job as Premier.

Only 22 percent of the white's participating in the poll approved of him while 42.3 percent of those falling into the mixed group (black and white) approved of him as Premier and 50 percent disapproved.

The Asian participants were evenly split at 40 percent approval and disapproval, while 11 percent accounted for the "other" race which approved of Mr. Scott as Premier and 33.3 percent disapproved. But as for the overall opinion of Mr. Scott, the majority of blacks participating in the poll found him favourable at 57.9 percent, followed by the mixed group at 57.7 percent, Asians at 40 percent, other at 44.4 percent and only 34.6 percent finding him favourable.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons' approval figures has slipped from 46.9 percent in July to 40 percent with Bermuda's older generations ? 55 years of age or over ? continuing to be a key area of support.

Among younger people, opinion remains firmly split at 42 percent of the 36 to 54 age group favouring him, followed by 28.6 percent of the 18 to 35 group.

However, while Dr. Gibbons scored well in previous months among low-income groups, in September his popularity has slipped from 55.2 percent to 36.6 percent of those earning less than $50,000 and between $50,000 and $100,000.

It seems the more you earn, the more you like Dr. Gibbons with 52.3 percent of those in the $100,000 or more income group favouring him. Even in the gender group, Dr. Gibbons popularity has changed significantly from 52.1 percent of women polled favouring him in past months to 38.6 percent in the most recent poll.

While his popularity amongst the stronger sex has climbed by four percent. Meanwhile his rating among blacks has climbed slightly by 7.1 percent and dropped amongst the overwhelming majority of whites by 13.8 percent.