THE 21 Senatorial candidates began their campaigning in earnest at St Clement’s Parish Hall last night.
Just over 150 people crowded into the building for the first of the parish hustings meetings.
St Clement Constable Derek Gray squeezed in six questions into the two-hour meeting by asking candidates to answer three questions at a time in two 90-second sessions.
One of the best-received questions was about States Members going missing from the States Chamber. A parishioner asked why the candidates thought sittings had to be halted so often because of Members going missing, and what they would do about it.
Cliff Le Clercq said that the frequently absent Members were ‘disrespectful’ and suggested that the coffee machine outside the Chamber be switched off.
Adrian Walsh said that if he was elected he would ensure that he was there as often as possible.
Deputy Alan Breckon said that he was not one of the Members who were frequently absent and that it was often ministers who were absent.
Mick Pashley suggested that States Members should be fined for being absent too often.
Ian Le Marquand said that States Members should attend at all times unless they had important business to attend to.
Daniel Wimberley said that attending his wife’s 60th birthday was ‘the right answer’ and that he would always try his best to attend as he knew what hard work was.
Deputy Sarah Ferguson said that the States should take precedence over anything.
Deputy Geoff Southern said that he had missed only one day in seven years.
Montfort Tadier said that he had probably attended the States more often than some Members, even though he was not currently a Member.
Mark Forskitt spoke about his many hours debating in council chambers in the UK.
Nick Le Cornu said that those who got up and left showed disrespect.
Senator Philip Ozouf said that he tried to be in the States as often as possible but that sometimes there were other important matters that had to be attended to.
Senator Paul Routier said that there was nothing more important than the States. A recently compiled document showed that out of all the current Senators he had attended the most.
Trevor Pitman said that all Members should attend unless they were ill or preparing a speech.
Chris Perkins suggested that the 90-second time restriction on answers to questions at hustings should be good practice for the candidates.
Jeremy Maçon said that all Members should attend so that they could listen to the views of other Members.
Senator Mike Vibert said that Senators did sometimes have other matters to attend to, but that Members should be in the States as often as possible.
Deputy Peter Troy said that he kept his speeches to just five minutes, unlike many States Members.
Deputy Alan Maclean said that Members should be in the Chamber as often as possible and that the media were a good watchdog as they published a list of those who were absent when voting.
Mike Higgins and Nicholas Palmer ran out of time before answering the question.
