- 70th anniversary of Liberation falls on a Saturday.
- States voted not to give Islanders an extra bank holiday on the Friday.
- Do you agree with their decision? – Take part in our poll.
ISLANDERS will not be getting an additional bank holiday to mark the 70th anniversary of Liberation Day following a vote in the States.
Members yesterday overwhelmingly rejected a proposition brought by St Helier Deputy Sam Mézec calling for a day off on Friday 8 May.
It came about because this year 9 May – Liberation Day and the usual bank holiday – falls on a Saturday.
The proposition was defeated by 33 votes to nine.
Official comments released by the Council of Ministers ahead of the debate suggested that a bank holiday may devalue the Liberation Day celebrations.
In 2010, the last time Liberation Day fell on a weekend, Deputy Montfort Tadier lodged a proposition calling for a day off in lieu which was also rejected.
Introducing his proposition to the House, Deputy Mézec said: ‘This proposition does not say that Liberation Day will be moved from any day other than 9 May, it is simply about providing the lost bank holiday on another day.
‘I refute any suggestion that it would devalue Liberation Day.
‘Comments have said that the extra day is not necessary. I would agree, but it is certainly helpful.’
Deputy Peter McLinton said that he did not believe that a bank holiday on Friday 8 May would devalue the celebrations and that a day off for Liberation Day should not be viewed as a ‘financial burden’.
Deputy Tadier said that any day off should not be viewed as an extra bank holiday but ‘a replacement in lieu’ for a day that would usually be allocated as a bank holiday.
Opposing the proposal, St Clement Deputy Simon Brée said: ‘Yesterday I sought advice from my parents who were here as young people during the Occupation.
‘They were clear that Liberation Day was, is and always will be 9 May.
‘We must recognise that day as important and an additional bank holiday would dishonour the memory of those who lived during the Occupation.’
His opinion was echoed by St Lawrence Constable Deidre Mezbourian, who said that she could not support the proposition as her parishioners had told her that Liberation Day should not be impacted upon.
St Brelade Deputy Murray Norton added: ‘Our job is to make sure that there is economic growth, not to give away public holidays for spurious reasons.’
As well as Deputies Mézec, McLinton and Tadier the Members who voted in favour of the proposition were Deputies Carolyn Labey, Louise Doublet, Russell Labey, Jeremy Maçon, Geoff Southern and Andrew Lewis.
