REFORM Jersey has requested a meeting with Chief Minister Kristina Moore to “seek assurances” about how she will work with them “to change the direction of travel of the current government”.
Ministers are “failing to take Jersey forward”, according to the letter signed by party leader Deputy Sam Mézec and deputy leader Deputy Lyndsay Feltham.
They have also branded Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet’s decision to lodge a vote of no confidence as “political in-fighting” and said that it was a “deeply disappointing” way to start the year.
The letter continued: “Reform Jersey does not want to see a personality-driven overhaul in government, which distracts from the important work of serving Islanders by improving our public services and alleviating the cost-of-living crisis.
“However, it is abundantly clear that the current government programme is not delivering the change that Islanders urgently need. Things cannot continue as they are.
“We are therefore writing to you to request a meeting to discuss our concerns and seek assurances from you on how you will work with us to change the direction of travel of the current government.
“Our members were elected to the States Assembly on the basis of a policy-based manifesto and a determination to serve Islanders in the most effective way possible. We stand ready to do this in any capacity. But we will not provide political cover for government leadership that is failing to take Jersey forward.”
The party’s position
Deputy Feltham, speaking to the JEP, explained that the meeting’s outcome would allow the party to decide whether to support Deputy Binet’s proposition to remove the Chief Minister from her position.
Deputy Feltham said: “Our priority is ensuring that our manifesto is delivered upon, so we’ll be looking for the Chief Minister to give some kind of assurance that she will deliver on those things.”
She added that what was “disappointing” about Deputy Binet’s proposition was that “it doesn’t deal with policy”.
She continued: “It’s very much about personality and in-fighting, but we need to be putting policy at front and centre. The government needs to be delivering on policy and actions for the community, not fighting amongst themselves.”
Following Deputy Binet’s resignation on Tuesday, the lack of an Infrastructure Minister to take forward the project to build new hospital facilities was also an area of concern for her as a member of the Future Hospital Review Panel.
Deputy Feltham said: “We really do need to ensure that we know who has delegated responsibility for that in the short term and long term. It is such an important part of Island life.”
Tensions
Tensions flared recently when Andy Jehan, Constable of St John, resigned from the Council of Ministers after a row over the newly created Health and Community Services Advisory Board, an independent panel created to oversee the operations and transformation of Health.
Mr Jehan cited an “indefensible misuse of taxpayers money” within Health as a reason for his resignation and criticised Health Minister Karen Wilson’s “reluctance to endorse” the government’s hospital plans.
In his report, Deputy Binet wrote that the Constable’s departure left “the impression that the resignation of a highly capable and trustworthy supporter was easier to manage than the difficult business of taking a decision to remove and replace an inappropriate minister”.
Many of the criticisms levied against Deputy Wilson in Mr Jehan’s resignation letter have been echoed in Deputy Binet’s proposition.
Speaking to the JEP, Mr Jehan said that his views were well known and that he “wholeheartedly agreed” with Deputy Binet’s criticisms of Deputy Wilson, even though he said that he was not as closely involved with the New Health Facilities Project.
“It is quite clear the concerns I highlighted are still relevant,” he said.
He added that, for personal reasons, he had not been able to progress a similar motion of no confidence in Deputy Wilson, something that he had been considering.
However, Mr Jehan said he disagreed with Deputy Binet’s comments that the past 18 months had been a “depressing affair” for the Council of Ministers.
“Personally, I wouldn’t say that. I was disappointed when I found that I had to resign. Serving in the Council of Ministers is challenging but it’s not depressing,” he said.
“I will listen to both sides of the debate and make my decision based on facts and not emotions.”
He said that he hoped other States Members would do the same, adding that he had not yet put support behind the vote or any party interested in taking up the role of Chief Minister.
