Jersey's Elections (2)-- The Facts Speak For Themselves

The election merry go round enters its second week and Hustings are now being held for Deputies as well as Senators. The one Husting for the only election for Connetable will be held at St Mary on Tuesday 7^th October at 8pm.

The first Hustings for Deputies got underway last night and tonight there are 5 Deputies and 1 Senator’s Husting. I shall be chairing the St Helier Number 1 District Hustings at 7pm this evening at the Ommaroo Hotel at Havre des Pas and look forward to the occasion.

There is a rare Husting at Trinity this evening where the Health Minister Anne Pryke who was “elected” 9 years ago will be appearing before the electorate for the first time, thanks to Hugh Raymond throwing his hat into the ring. He is a well qualified candidate and it will be interesting to see how the pair perform at the Hustings and the support each candidate receives from what is expected to be a high turn out.

The fact that a candidate can be elected unopposed and become a Minister without facing the electorate is another example of how outdated our current electoral system is. Also this evening at St Lawrence there is a Senators Husting where the Connetable and the 2 Deputies were all re-elected unopposed. The two Deputies Noel and Le Fondre (who has not uploaded his manifesto) are both seeking Ministerial positions as is Deputy Kevin Lewis who if re-elected will be hoping to carry on as Minister of Transport and Technical Services.

Whilst I don’t support the continuation of the Senator's role it still exists and, as such I believe that candidates wishing to become Ministers should seek an Island mandate to give them credibility, It has been noticeable that some Senatorial candidates like Anne Southern, Zoe Cameron, Deputy Young and Green are seeking an Island mandate to enhance their chances of becoming Ministers. I wish them well and I consider that all are well in with a chance of being elected.

Some may say its surprising how little interest is being shown in relation to the referendum as to whether Connetables should retain their automatic right of a seat in the States Assembly. The referendum is half cocked and if it was not being held on the same day as the General Election there would be an all time low turn out.

It is interesting to see how Senator Bailhache says he supports reform when he has done so much to stifle it and continues to do so  by supporting the Connetable's right to an automatic seat. The Senator is also of the view that there needs to be a reduction in the number of States Members. Had he not ambushed the Electoral Commission there would have been a reduction and a genuine election where all the candidates would have to face the electorate and the public would have a genuine say in who represents them.

I have always supported the Clothier recommendation for a smaller Assembly which the Senator also wants but he stops short of the full Clothier recommendation of a one class of States Member. Having just read his leaflet which has come through my letter box it is evident that Senator Bailhache is unsettled by those States members who question what Ministers do, including those who are caught out reading confidential papers on aircraft. There is no Opposition Party in Jersey and true opposition is left to the ever decreasing number of Members who are prepared to make Ministers accountable.

Opposition can come via questions and propositions being lodged and it is evident that the outgoing House has hardly excelled its itself. In the House of 2008 to 2011, 1402 propositions and amendments were lodged. This outgoing House has lodged 848. That number would have been much reduced had the Plemont and Electoral Commission not been recycled at the behest of Senator Bailhache.

The same reduction can be found in the number of written and oral questions asked. The previous House asked 2359 written and 1049 oral questions. The outgoing House has asked 1892 written and 878 oral. I wont embarrass the Connetables by revealing the number of questions and propositions they have lodged because a number would have a zero figure. Therefore it is not surprising that Ministers wishing for an easy and unaccountable way of life seek the retention of Connetables remaining as ex-officio States Members.

Confirmation of the figures I have produced can be verified via the States Assembly website which be accessed by clicking HERE  

In my last Blog I commented on the number of Connetables who had failed to upload their manifestos onto the Vote.je website. Having checked before publishing this Blog it is evident that only two of the re-elected have. One displays his website but on reading it I found that it had not been updated since 2011. What is particularly disappointing is among those who have not uploaded their manifestos are the two Connetables who have been elected unopposed. Therefore their parishioners have no idea what they stand for or what they hope to achieve during their term of office.   

In conclusion it is pleasing to note the States has taken a leaf out of the Voice for Children and Tom Gruchy book and is now videoing most of the Hustings via the vote.je Website. Whilst the visual and sound quality can be improved the recordings offer those unable to attend the Hustings with the opportunity of seeing the candidate and hearing what they have to say.

The vote.je website can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Husting's Speech; Thursday 13th October 2011

The St Martin's Hustings was held in the Public Hall last night with most of the seats being occupied. Both candidates were permitted to address the audience for ten minutes. This was followed by 17 questions being asked on a wide range of subjects.

My address is as follows.

When preparing for tonight’s speech I looked back to my first Hustings speech to see whether the promises I had made then had been kept and whether the concerns people had about me had been addressed.

If elected, I said I would pursue policies based on Consultation, Openness and Accountability. Those three words are now seen in many candidate's manifestos.

I believe we all benefit from more Openness and Accountability in all areas of public administration. However there is more to be done and if re-elected I will continue pursue those ideals.

I also said I wanted to listen and reflect the concerns and interests of all parishioners in both parish and Island affairs and to inform and be informed.

I believe I have kept my promise, I am seen around the parish, and I rarely miss Parish Assemblies or Parish committee meetings. I am delighted that with the help of the former Connétable John Germain we introduced the Green Lanes system in St Martin. As promised I established a self funding Twinning Association, I am a regular member of our parish church congregation, President of the St Martin’s Division of St John Ambulance and with Gary Westwood we ensure that St Martin’s has sufficient footballers to compete in the annual Trinity shield competition.

I feel very much a part of the parish and with your support; I hope to continue as Deputy for another 3 years.

I said I would endeavour to ensure that our countryside and coastline was preserved. I successfully lodged a proposition to reinstate the Cliffside at Geoffrey’s Leap so that the area is preserved for future generations. As a member of the parish Conservation Committee I am ever vigilant in protecting our countryside.

I am proud of my attendance record in the States having only missed a handful of the 800 plus Sittings that have been held since being elected.

I have lodged a whole plethora of propositions and regularly asked questions I also partake in States Debates and only speak when I have something to contribute.

I believe I have made a difference to the lives of many of the Parishioners and resident’s Island wide. One is now able to enjoy a pub lunch on a Sunday and purchase a bottle of wine after 1pm on that day. Police may confiscate alcohol from persons under 18.  I also established the registered doorman’s scheme which is being incorporated into the new licensing law.

Parishes are able to retain all the revenue from speeding fines and Driving licences are now renewed from the date of expiry and not the date of renewal. Allegiance to Her Majesty and her heirs has now been retained in the police oath. Owners of share transfer properties now pay stamp duty following purchase. Unmarried parents are now able to register their child in either the father’s or mothers surname if they wish.

Following the suspension of an unacceptable number of States employees, the States has approved my proposition to establish a new States Suspension Policy and my further amendments to the States Employment Law are currently the subject of consultation with States and Private employers. 

The current State’s sitting schedule is as a result of my proposition and recently the States approved my proposition whereby Members Interests are recorded on line. At the last Hustings I said that if re-elected I would seek approval for a review of the role of the Bailiff and Crown Officers. I am pleased to say that following States approval the Review was undertaken under the chairmanship of Lord Carswell.

However I have not always been successful and was disappointed that the States recently rejected my proposal to amend the Highway’s Law which was intended to protect road users who become victims of negligence caused by the failure of the States and Parishes to maintain its roads in good condition. That is a matter I will pursue if re-elected.

As one can see, individual States Members can make a useful contribution in the States if they are prepared dig and delve and spend a great many hours researching and consulting with the public.

So much for the past but now to the future; on parish matters the issue of the ownership of the roads and footpaths in Maufant Village is coming to a head after over 30 years. The residents know how much time I have devoted attempting to resolve the long standing problem but I believe we are very close to resolving it and there will be a vital meeting which is open to all Maufant residents next month.

The issue of affordable housing for first time buyers and accommodation for the elderly is an ongoing problem but St Martin has not stood still as is evident by the developments behind the St John Ambulance Hall, Maufant and the extension to Court Clos.

Balancing parish need and protecting our countryside is difficult but this can be best achieved by keeping Parishioners fully informed and public consultation with would be developers.

I have been part of the Committee appointed to address the issue of the Rectory and the recent application to build 14 first time homes and 10 apartments for retired persons. Unfortunately that proposal was so lacking in detail and reinforces my previous comment that would be developers must work much closer with the parish before launching their proposals.

We are about to build a welcomed new school which will require oversight by elected members. The parish football team will now require a new pitch; however with the help of others I am assisting the Club in finding an alternative pitch.

Parishioners continue to be concerned about speeding motorists so I very much welcome the news that the Honorary Police have trained a number of officers who will be conducting regular speed checks throughout the parish.

It is disappointing that unlike other Parishes, St Martin does not have a community news letter that is produced freely in other parishes. If re-elected, along with our new Connétable appropriate steps will be taken to address the matter.

On Island Affairs the issue of job creation, cost of living and immigration will continue to demand attention. Much criticism and undue attention has been given to the division and behaviour of some States Members. That supposed problem is nothing new and was raised by Sir John Cheshire in his final address 5 years ago. It should be remembered that the States Chamber is a debating forum and some members do on occasions allow their passion to over run. The offenders come from both sides of the Chamber.

Due to the cherry picking of the Clothier Report the present set up is causing frustration and tension because too many States Members are denied being part of the government.

To remedy the problem, it is vital that the States elects a true leader to be its next Chief Minister, who will appoint States Members for their ability rather than their loyalty to the Council of Ministers. The current crop of Ministers has under performed much to the dissatisfaction from both inside and outside the States Chamber.

The States made a major blunder when not supporting Len Norman’s proposition to exclude GST on all food for human consumption which I supported. Had support been given we would not have got locked into expensive income support mechanisms, and any future increases in GST would NOT have affected the cost of our food. It was absolutely naïve to believe that GST would remain at 3% for any length of time despite promises from the Council of Ministers.

There are belt tightening measures in place but it is pointless making savings in one quarter and than spending it in another.

One area of concern is the cost of private education. I opposed the ill conceived attempt by the Education Minister aided by the Council of Ministers to raise schools fees. Parents know they will not be immune, but any increases must be as a result of wide consultation and staged, so that parents can make long term arrangements.

There are other Parish and Island issues which I am sure will be raised from questions which will follow, however in conclusion I would like to say that I have kept the promises I have made. I am known for never ducking issues and I attend to the concerns from everyone who raises them with me. I have a proven track record in both parish and Island affairs and it is a privilege to serve the parish.

When first proposing me, Alan Mollet said he was confident that I would not let parishioners down. Mr Connétable I believe I have fulfilled Alan’s prediction.