ADDRESSING Jersey’s housing crisis, improving healthcare for Islanders and supporting small businesses were all on the agenda at a hustings for candidates hoping to represent St John, St Lawrence and Trinity.
The event, held at Trinity Parish Hall, marked the third time this week that the candidates – who are competing for four Deputy seats – had faced questions from the electorate.
Seven of the eight runners were in attendance, with Deputy Hugh Raymond unable to make it due to illness.
As well as the headline topics, candidates were also asked how they would support Trinity – to which they all replied ‘by improving the bus service’. They were also asked to compliment each another’s positive traits.
Independent candidate and lawyer Elaine Miller began the opening speeches on Tuesday evening. The Trinity resident, who has spent the past seven years working as the Island’s Viscount, has lived in the parish for over 20 years and praised its ‘strong sense of community’.
She said that she believed there was a need to protect the finance industry, described small businesses as the ‘life-blood of the community’ and said that she wanted to minimise the ‘red tape’ which she said was stopping businesses from thriving.
Her speech also focused on housing, which she called a ‘major issue’, and added she felt there was a need to better understand the ‘current and future needs for housing’, as well as provide a ‘carefully thought strategy’ to assess the Island’s population.
She said that the current government systems ‘do not result in value for money’ and that there needed to be ‘clear responsibility for public spending’.
Mary Venturini, a St John resident and member of the Friends of Our New Hospital group, used to run an English publishing company in Rome. Much of her opening speech focused on the new hospital project.
The independent candidate said that her work analysing the new facility had brought her into contact ‘with every sphere of Island life’ and she added that she was ‘against the Alliance-led government pushing through the new hospital at an eye-watering cost’.
She explained that she thought other elements of the Island’s healthcare system were also a concern – including the conditions that nurses and doctors were currently dealing with.
Mrs Venturini also said the Island needed to address its employment crisis across all sectors. She said one of the reasons for staff shortages was the ‘housing crisis’ and the fact that ‘young people find it impossible to find accommodation’.
She added that the Island was doing too little to tackle its ‘climate emergency’ – describing it as a ‘forgotten subject’.
Independent candidate Andy Howell – a retired dentist who has lived in Jersey for 40 years – said she cared about ‘all aspects of Island life’, its ‘people, environment and traditions’.
‘I want to be part of a States Assembly that listens to Islanders, is open, transparent and accountable. I will work collaboratively and with integrity to make sensible, financially sound decisions to ensure we do not waste taxpayers’ money,’ she said.
Mrs Howell added that current plans for the new hospital needed to be ‘revisited’.
‘I am passionate about making positive change within our healthcare system, reducing bureaucracy. Our new hospital needs to be properly future-proofed and provide all the facilities and services that we need,’ she said.
‘Our wonderful frontline staff need to be cherished and empowered to do their jobs. Excellent patient care, coupled with kindness and passion has to be the number-one priority.’
The last of the non-serving candidates to speak was Hilary Jeune, who grew up in St John and has worked ‘influencing international organisations and governments, including the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union’.
She is also the deputy chair of youth homelessness charity Jersey Association for Youth and Friendship.
She said the Island’s housing situation must improve in order to ‘stem the cost-of-living crisis’.
‘I want to see a strong, diverse economy that works for all, which supports small businesses, innovation and pushes us to be a sustainable finance jurisdiction,’ she said.
Mrs Jeune said that her experience of parenting helped her to understand the importance of an ‘education framework’ which focuses on ‘problem-solving, critical thinking, building confidence, empathy and reducing excessive testing’.
She also vowed to work for a ‘diverse and inclusive society’ that ‘addresses the gender pay gap’, ‘supports parents returning to work’ and a ‘further adoption of the living wage’.
The first current States Member to speak was Chief Minister John Le Fondré, who was originally elected 16½ years ago.
The Jersey Alliance party member said that he had shown ‘calm and tough decision making’, as well as ‘resilience, experience and total commitment’ to lead the government through Brexit, Covid and the impacts of the war in Ukraine.
‘We have protected lives, businesses, livelihoods, our schools were open longer than almost anywhere else, we have a fantastic vaccination programme and a hugely successful Spend Local scheme which gathered global attention,’ he said.
‘If that is what you call a disaster, then I wear that label with pride.’
Senator Le Fondré said he had ‘no time for nasty, petty politics’.
‘I am seeking re-election to continue to drive forward work that has started in other areas.
‘We have increased investment into mental health by £10 million-per-year. There has been improvement but we need to focus even more on areas to support delivery and outcomes,’ he told the audience.
St Lawrence Deputy Kirsten Morel, who is running as an independent candidate, said the Island stood at a ‘crossroads’ as young people faced uncertain futures.
He said he felt that the Island needed to secure a future for young people and their families and that there was a ‘dislocation between the civil service and the rest of the Island’. He also said that there needed to be ‘targeted recruitment schemes’ to encourage young people to work in government.
‘We need people to be able to afford rent, not have rent that makes it impossible to run family life,’ he said.
‘Homes should be for Islanders to live in. People gained savings during Covid and have been investing in property, which is not helping Islanders get on the housing ladder. I have worked to increase stamp duty for second, third and fourth homes, which is designed to cool off the market so Islanders can get in at lower levels.’
Deputy Morel explained that his role as Assistant Economic Development Minister had allowed him to support funding for farmers and make a difference in the arts-and-culture sector.
Last to give their speech was the current Home Affairs Minister Gregory Guida, who is also a member of Jersey Alliance.
‘Four years ago when I was elected I promised I would work hard for the Island. During this term, I have participated in two ministries and 20 different boards, committees and panels,’ he said.
‘I spent the year defending Jersey against the country of my birth and I will now never be allowed a French passport ever again.’
Deputy Guida said that the current government had initiated ‘dozens of projects’ which had been left over from the previous term.
‘We did so well, but there is much more that remains to be done,’ he said.
He also told the audience that he would support the return of Senators.
After the opening speeches concluded and questions were invited from the public, a women in the front row asked each candidate to say something they liked about the person to their left.
The idea drew applause and then laughter and commotion as Mrs Jeune hesitated when asked to compliment the Chief Minister.
However, she praised his ‘work ethic’ during the Island’s original response to Covid.
Senator Le Fondré said that Deputy Morel had shown ‘energy and passion’ during his time in office, while Deputy Morel said that he admired Deputy Guida’s ability ‘to direct a table and ensure decisions are made’.
In turn, the Home Affairs Minister called Mrs Miller a ‘fantastic professional’ and praised everyone at the table.
Mrs Miller then said that Mrs Venturini would ‘fight the fight as a States Member’.
The Friends of Our New Hospital campaigner said her fellow group member Mrs Howell ‘knew more about healthcare than anyone she knew’.
And Mrs Howell praised Mrs Jeune’s ‘analytical skills’.
