100-year-old: ‘Get off your backsides and vote’

Bob le Sueur saturday interview holocaust memorial day Picture: PETER MOURANT

Bob Le Sueur, who was made an MBE in 2013 for helping escaped Russian forced workers to avoid capture by German forces, issued the call while highlighting how many people in other parts of the world were not given the chance to exercise the basic democratic right.

The centenarian spoke ahead of the St Clement by-election which will be contested by former Deputy Simon Brée and ex-hotelier Marcus Troy. The two men were nominated as candidates earlier this month following the death of former Constable Len Norman.

Mr Norman, who was also the Home Affairs Minister, was the longest-serving States Member – having given 38 years of his life to the Assembly, 13 as a Deputy, 12 as a Senator and 13 as Constable.

Mr Le Sueur, who turns 101 in October, said he wanted to raise awareness of the importance of voting.

‘I fully intend to vote at the parish hall, even if it is bucketing it down with rain. I vote because I feel very strongly and there are so many parts of the world where people cannot vote,’ he said.

‘There are places where people are fighting and dying to obtain the right to vote. We have the responsibility to use our vote and we should use our vote responsibly.’

The former Hautlieu teacher, who lives near Pontac Common in St Clement, added: ‘I am likely to be the oldest person voting and people ought to be made aware that we have a wonderful facility to choose our own government and we get the chance to do this in our own pocket-sized democracy. People risk and lose their lives for freedom. We should get off our backsides and cast our vote.’

When asked who was likely to secure his vote, Mr Le Sueur replied: ‘I will go into that ballot box and smile happily at both candidates but my vote will remain private.’

According to figures released following the 2018 general election, a total of 26,947 Islanders – 43.38% of those on the electoral register – voted.

The figure was an increase of around 2,000 on the 2014 general election. A survey conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ranked Jersey bottom of the table on civic engagement, with the lowest voter turnouts of the 39 nations included.

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