REVITALISING St Helier, reducing GP fees and getting to work on the hospital at Overdale are among the key pledges made by the government in a new policy document.
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham and fellow ministers have outlined their roadmap for the next two years, covering the areas in which they want to make progress ahead of the Island’s next general election.
The Common Strategic Policy, published yesterday and due to be debated by the States Assembly on 21 May, focuses on tackling cost-of-living pressures and extending nursery and childcare provision.
It also features key health-related priorities, most notably the commencement of the Island’s long-awaited new hospital and reducing GP fees.
Action is also outlined to implement the recommendations of the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce report, to revitalise St Helier, cut red tape and other “barriers to business” and to reform the Planning service.
Speaking to the JEP, Deputy Farnham said that since being elected on 30 January, the new government had been working to establish a list of priorities that were deliverable.
He repeated criticisms that the previous administration, which was ousted following a vote of no confidence in former Chief Minister Kristina Moore in January, had tried to do too much but achieved little, and pledged a “back to basics” approach from the new government.
“We’re mindful that we have two years in which to achieve results, and of the need for sensible practical solutions to deal with the immediate challenges that Islanders are facing,” he said. “There will be other areas of business as usual which will continue, but we have selected 12 priority areas in which we will deliver.
“We have been very careful to ensure that all these areas are deliverable within the timescale allotted, analysing where government has been spending taxpayers’ money and identifying areas where we can reprioritise in order to achieve the best outcomes.”
Deputy Farnham said one area of reprioritisation would be stopping the public sector growing any further, with staff numbers rising in the 18-month duration of the previous government.
Asked whether ministers would receive the necessary support to deliver their policy goals, Deputy Farnham said: “I hope and believe that States Members and most Islanders will recognise that these are sensible and practical moves that will help tackle immediate challenges in areas like housing, health and the cost of living.”
Ministerial determination to deliver on the Common Strategic Policy was underlined by Housing Minister Sam Mézec.
Writing on X (formerly Twitter) he said: “We’re not going to get bogged down with political nonsense; we’re just going to focus on making Islanders’ lives better.
“For the first time, this government’s strategic plan focuses less on nice words and spin, and instead proposes some clear and tangible policies we will implement.”
