PARISH meetings have been scheduled as part of a renewed bid to bring back the role of Senator to the States Assembly.
Treasury Minister Elaine Millar will be visiting all 12 parishes over the next three weeks ahead of a debate on her proposition to restore the Islandwide mandate in time for next year’s general election.
The debate on the issue, which has been discussed regularly by politicians over the past 25 years, has been moved back from February to mid-March to allow more Islanders to express their views.
Deputy Millar said she had received “positive” feedback about her proposal – which she has lodged in a private capacity – from fellow Members and Islanders.
“It’s something many people feel very strongly about – I have had several people who have contacted me or spoken with me to say that they support it, and just one person who told me they are against it,” she said.
“The meetings will give people the opportunity to come and say what they think – it’s a chance for the public to be heard.”
Although the meetings, which will be organised as “drop-in” sessions lasting an hour, are not aimed at States Members, Deputy Millar said she hoped fellow politicians would attend in order to listen to Islanders’ views. Islanders could attend any meeting, she added – not just the session held in their own parish.
The proposition is the latest in a number of attempts to restore the role. If approved, the proposal would see one Deputy removed for each of the nine electoral districts, leaving the total number of Members unchanged at 49. The number of Constables would remain the same.
Deputy Millar said last month she was fulfilling a commitment made at the time of the last election, when she was elected to represent St John, St Lawrence and Trinity.
In the report accompanying her proposition, she said: “I understand that, in many respects, the current electoral system is more equitable than its predecessor… by establishing more equally balanced constituencies for Deputies.
“In the process, however, the most equitable office that has ever existed in the history of electoral politics in Jersey – the Senator – was thrown away.
“As a result, many Islanders now feel their ability to shape the membership of the States Assembly, and by implication the government, has been reduced.”
The parish hall meetings will take place from 6pm to 7pm as follows:
January
Monday 20 – St Ouen
Tuesday 21 – St Clement
Wednesday 22 – St John
Thursday 23 – Trinity
Monday 27 – St Peter
Tuesday 28 – Grouville
Wednesday 29 – St Martin
Thursday 30 – St Saviour
February
Monday 3 – St Mary
Tuesday 4 – St Helier (in the Town Hall)
Wednesday 5 – St Lawrence
Thursday 6 – St Brelade
