THE Chief Minister has reshuffled her team following the shock resignation of Assistant Chief Minister Andy Jehan.
Meanwhile, the chief Health scrutineer has said that government should stop having “internal battles played out in public” and instead show “coherent governance”.
Mr Jehan stood down from his ministerial role at the weekend, citing “severe concerns” over spending in Health, where he said there had been an “indefensible misuse of taxpayers’ money” on the recently formed Health Advisory Board.
Simon Crowcroft, Constable of St Helier, will now take Mr Jehan’s place as Assistant Chief Minister, while Social Security Minister Elaine Millar has been proposed as vice-chair of the States Employment Board, subject to confirmation by the board.
Deputy Malcolm Ferey will also join the SEB and Deputy Philip Ozouf will add Assistant Health Minister to his portfolio.
Chief Minister Kristina Moore, who confirmed the appointments in a ministerial decision, said that Mr Crowcroft would “ensure that sustainable regeneration, particularly in St Helier – home to one-third of Jersey’s population – continues to be a priority area of focus”.
Deputy Rob Ward, who chairs the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, has called on the government to “sort out its differences” in the wake of a weekend of political turmoil.
He continued: “Scrutiny is here to scrutinise government policy – we just need coherent, unified policy so we know what is being brought forward.
“It isn’t good for the Island, or for coherent governance, if you are going to have internal battles played out in public.”
Several States Members have said that there could be political repercussions stemming from Mr Jehan’s decision to resign, including the potential for a vote of confidence within the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Public Accounts Committee has given the government’s chief executive a week to outline the achievements of the board and the value it has provided to taxpayers.
In his resignation letter, Mr Jehan said he only found out about the extension of Prof Mascie-Taylor’s term as chair of the board via a draft press release last Thursday.
Deputy Andy Howell, a fellow member of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, said she was worried that details had not been shared with Scrutiny or States Members.
She said: “It’s a concern – we don’t yet know what is happening, what the salary for the chair will be and how long the appointment is for.”
Deputy Howell said she was surprised that Deputy Wilson had not been able to share more information regarding the board when she took part in a quarterly hearing with the panel on 16 November, a week before Mr Jehan said he had sight of the draft release.
She added: “I am really sad that he [Mr Jehan] has resigned and I think there’ll be questions for the Chief Minister – he helped her with her election campaign and I feel she might have done more to persuade him to remain in government.”
The Public Accounts Committee has picked up concerns from Mr Jehan’s letter and asked Dr Andrew McLaughlin, the chief executive officer, to provide details on the board’s milestones and achievements, how much it cost and details of the recruitment process for the chair, before 5 December.
Responding to Mr Jehan’s resignation letter, Chief Minister Kristina Moore said she regretted that he was leaving the government.
She said: “Your views on the leadership of the HCS Advisory Board – which we agree will be central to overseeing the progress we need – were known to the Council of Ministers.”
