A LONG-TIME resident of St Mary and accomplished horseman is throwing his top hat into the ring to become the parish’s next Constable.
Ivor Barette, who moved to St Mary 65 years ago at the age of eight, confirmed he intended to put his name forward as a candidate in the election scheduled to take place on 7 June.
The decision was prompted by comments from the current Constable, David Johnson, at a parish assembly last year in which he had indicated his hope that someone younger would come forward to take on the role at the head of the Island’s least-populated parish.
“David moreorless said that he was going to retire,” Mr Barette said. “I think I have a lot to offer and various parishioners have said they would support me.
“I have served as a roads inspector and would intend to fight the parish’s corner – there are a lot of good things in St Mary like the youth club and kids’ club at the community centre, and I would like to see those carry on.”
Having waged a five-year battle with the Planning Department over a £50,000 fine imposed in 2016 for modifications made to his home, culminating in a States Complaints Board ruling in his favour over what it described as the government’s “oppressive and overtly discriminatory” conduct, Mr Barette said he would like to see “more compassion” shown by planners to ordinary Islanders.
Describing himself as semi-retired, Mr Barette has a life-long passion for horses and his carriage is a familiar presence at Island events and at the head of funeral corteges.
“I drive [the carriage] regularly and it keeps me fit,” he said.
Mr Johnson, who will turn 80 prior to the forthcoming election, confirmed to the JEP that he had shared his hopes for a younger candidate or candidates to emerge, but said he had yet to make a final decision about whether he would step down or seek re-election.
“I did say at last year’s Rates Assembly that it was not my intention to stand on the basis that I considered it was in the interests of the parish if someone somewhat younger stepped forward,” he said. “I’m still waiting to learn which candidate or candidates are intending to stand.”
St Mary has had one of the highest proportions of contested Constable elections in recent years. The role has been contested in four of the past five elections, with Mr Johnson, a former parish Deputy, defeating Mike Fennell by 83 votes in 2022.
In 2014. Juliette Gallichan defeated John Le Bailly by 376 votes to 370 to secure a third term as Constable, before the tables were turned on the incumbent by Mr Le Bailly four years later as he claimed victory by 25 votes. Mrs Gallichan had been elected by a 200-vote margin in 2008 before being re-elected unopposed in 2011.
