To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Our government is in urgent need of reform
Share this:
From Senator Jim Perchard.
ON 14 November my six-year term of office as Senator will come to an end and I will leave the States.
I feel greatly honoured and privileged to have been given the opportunity to represent my Island as a Senator and I wish to thank all those who have supported and encouraged me during my term of office. I leave with some regrets, but safe in the knowledge that I have done my very best to promote the interests of the Island and the good people of Jersey.
During my six years as Senator I have found the States, its methods and procedures to be very frustrating and terribly difficult to endure. Early in my term of office, I discovered that the make-up of the States Assembly and the way it conducts its business was not fit for purpose and was in desperate need of reorganisation. The government rollercoaster is big and clumsy, I believe primarily because the politicians and States departments within it, in the main, continue to work independently of each other.
We have now experienced six years of ministerial government, during which time I and others have recognised its shortcomings and attempted to bring about some improvement. There has been proposition after proposition, many calls for referenda, Mori polls, internal reports, external reports and debate after debate, but unfortunately with calls for change always being beaten back by Members who were conflicted by their self-interest.
The expectation that ministerial government would lead to efficient ‘joined up’ government has not transpired. In fact, ministerial government has proven to be divisive, with some ministers claiming as their very own the powers bestowed on their estate and behaving in a dictatorial and conceited fashion. While not a complete failure, ministerial government has not delivered as we had hoped and is in urgent need of reform.
I believe that collective ministerial responsibility (that is where all ministers and their departments are compelled to work collectively as a team) and a reduction in the number of States Members by at least ten persons is essential for the States to function effectively. The assembly simply has too many Members, some of whom keep themselves motivated and occupied by promoting negativity and by being as awkward as they possibly can, causing unnecessarily long debates and States sittings, creating a needless workload for ministers and their departments and unwittingly diverting the States’ attentions away from genuinely important matters, while attempting to justify their tactics of timewasting and troublemaking in the name of democracy and transparency.
The make-up of the States must change, as must their shambolic procedures, so as to deliver positive, decisive, efficient, compassionate government. Ordinary people, most of whom are busy working, supporting their families, paying their taxes, struggling financially through these difficult times have a basic right to expect their government to be competent and efficient.
Let us hope that the new assembly has the determination and courage to oversee the introduction of new internal working procedures for the States and that they put the (soon to be formed) Electoral Commissions conclusions to Islanders, by means of a referendum, in good time before the 2015 general election.
Related