CONVICTED politician Deputy Philip Ozouf’s use of illegally-employed workers during his 2022 election campaign could be discussed at the next States sitting.
It follows the St Saviour Deputy’s recent sentencing for immigration offences relating to the employment of Rwandan nationals outside the conditions of their work permits.
The Royal Court heard that, in addition to carrying out work at Ozouf’s private laundry business and home address, some of the Rwandans helped him put up election posters and hand out leaflets in the Parish at his request during his 2022 election campaign.
There is no reference to this on Deputy Ozouf’s elections expenses form.
Chair of the Privileges and Procedures Committee, Deputy Steve Ahier, told the JEP that the matter would fall under the remit of the Jersey Electoral Authority.
However, article 68 of the Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 states that: “No civil action, or criminal prosecution, arising from facts that have occurred at, or relate to, a public election or parish election, may be instituted under this Law after the expiration of 12 months from the date of the election.”
In a post on social media, Reform Jersey leader Deputy Sam Mézec stated that: “If our elections can be influenced by dodgy money and people flouting the rules on spending with no comeuppance, then we don’t have a proper democracy.”
He said that he would be raising the issue at the next States sitting.
Deputy Mézec’s comments come just days after he argued Deputy Ozouf “ought to do the right thing and resign”, contending that “it would be totally inappropriate for him to return to the Assembly and take up his position again”.
