Omens not good for firm, fair and just interim report

From David Rotherham, chairman, Jersey Rights Association.

WILL the Electoral Commission interim report be a seminal moment for Jersey politics or, as many predict, a lost opportunity? We agree with Daniel Wimberley (JEP, 18 October); the omens are not good.

In a lengthy written submission made by the Jersey Rights Association to the Electoral Commission, we warned of a predictable outcome. An outcome predetermined at the start of the process, with the primary purpose of the Commission simply to give credibility to those findings, or to rubber stamp the outcome.

That outcome is a States Assembly with 42 seats with the retention of the Constables. The mathematics are simple, ten (Council of Ministers) and nine (Constables) = 19 and that does not even take into account assistant ministers.

An Assembly of 42, retaining the Constables, effectively creates a one-party system by default. The remaining members are disenfranchised. We said that the Electoral Commission will be required to challenge and rebut any such notion in their report and conclusions. Have they shown that independence?

In our opinion the Clothier Report in December 2000 dealt with the same or similar issues being addressed by this Electoral Commission. Why are we repeating the exercise?

The Clothier panel had an external, distinguished chairman. It had external, distinguished panel members. It had distinguished local members. We could say that it was a ‘perfect committee’ representing local knowledge, external expertise, and independent and objective members.

The ink on the Clothier Report is barely dry and this Commission appears to be repeating the work. That appears to be unnecessary duplication and public money not well spent.

The Clothier report reached very clear conclusions:

• The role of Senator should be abolished.

• Constables should cease to be ex-officio Members of the States.

• Electoral Commission to re-assign the vacant seats among the parishes.

• There should be an Assembly of between 42 and 44 members, with the title ‘Members of the States of Jersey’.

• There should be a general election every four to five years.

The Clothier Report said with some foresight: ‘We hope, therefore, that the temptation to pick out those of our ideas which look simple and easier to implement will be resisted.’

The Jersey Rights Association has seen no compelling evidence or information to show that the present Electoral Commission can improve on the work undertaken and conclusions reached of the Clothier Report.

We have very clear and compelling findings by that report, and as much as the Jersey Rights Association may not agree with each and every finding, we have to accept the weight and authority of those findings.

The current Electoral Commission is, we respectfully submit, bound by the same outcome.

The test of independence and objectivity of this Electoral Commission will be in its interim report due out any time now. If, as many predict, it will recommend (or as part of its recommendations) a 42-seat house with the retention of the Constables, then the Commission will be left with no credibility.

We sincerely hope that the Electoral Commission can rise above this temptation and produce an interim report that embraces firm, fair and just democratic principles.