A SIX-WEEK government media campaign to highlight successes and progress made in key areas during the past four years has been described by backbench politicians as ‘obvious propaganda’ and an inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money.
On Friday, the government announced it would be using its social-media channels to share videos, interviews and blogs featuring officials and ministers to discuss the parts of the Common Strategic Policy that had been achieved.
Deputy Carina Alves, a member of Reform Jersey who chairs the Privileges and Procedures Committee, said the campaign brought into question what was acceptable in the run-up to an election, with Islanders due to go to the polls in June.
Describing it as ‘obvious propaganda’, she added: ‘Party politics is all very new territory but I think the government run the risk of getting a lot of criticism for such a campaign.
‘There needs to be a discussion over what is allowed and whether using government resources should be declared as an election resource.’
Last year, Home Affairs Minister Gregory Guida, who chairs the Jersey Alliance Party, which counts ten serving politicians among its members, said that the party’s manifesto was the Government Plan.
Assistant Treasury Minister Lindsay Ash is the party secretary and Assistant Chief Minister Rowland Huelin acts as its treasurer. Chief Minister John Le Fondré, Social Security Minister Judy Martin, Children’s and Education Minister Scott Wickenden and Assistant Economic Development Minister Hugh Raymond are listed as members.
Deputy Ash said: ‘The campaign is reflective of this assembly’s achievements, each minister and their team’s achievements, not the Jersey Alliance Party’s.’
Senator Le Fondré added: ‘We are trying to highlight the work of all the dedicated officers who worked so tirelessly over the last two years as we responded to the threat of Covid-19. I want to make sure that those colleagues who have been working on the everyday projects which fell outside our pandemic response receive the positive recognition they deserve.
‘That is why we are running a six-week campaign to highlight the important achievements across government over the last four years, emphasising some of those projects which have not received the attention they deserve.’
Senator Kristina Moore, who leads the Scrutiny Liaison Committee, said: ‘The word “propaganda” came to mind straight away. I was really surprised that officers would sign off on such a thing and it is a really inappropriate use of public money.’
Senator Moore added that the cost of the campaign should be taken out of any Jersey Alliance election expenses.
She said: ‘It is a bad reflection of current policy. The campaign fails to acknowledge reality and, as we saw with the promotional videos released before the Samarès Ward vote, ministers have attempted to paint their own reality of success, which is not necessarily shared amongst Islanders. The first week of the campaign focuses on putting children first and I doubt it will acknowledge many of the current government’s failings in that area throughout the pandemic.’
Senator Steve Pallett, a founder of the Progress Party, said that ‘tighter controls’ were needed as the Island adjusted to party politics.
‘On the face of it, it’s disappointing that the government is using the pandemic to promote its policies and work. It is opportunism from the Alliance party – the type that Islanders aren’t necessarily going to like,’ he said.
‘Using government resources is not the right thing to do and using government officers to do anything in support of one particular party is not acceptable. We need to look at rules around what we can or can’t do coming up to the election. There has got to be some balance, because you cannot buy an election or just throw money at it.’
Sir Philip Bailhache, a founding member of the Jersey Liberal Conservatives, said: ‘Government ministers who are Jersey Alliance members need to be careful not to use government resources to advance the interests of the Alliance party. That would be improper.’
