A SOCIAL entrepreneur has said she will be standing for election for one of the St Helier North Deputy seats in the upcoming election in June.
Victoria Li is the founder and director of Learn.je – an education platform dedicated to transforming traditional education – will be running as an independent candidate.
And, while Ms Li said her focus would be on the residents of St Helier North, she hopes her professional background will help land her a role as Education Minister.
The political newcomer said people should vote for her because she’s the kind of person that her friends turn go to “get things done”.
She added that coming from China, she could not understand how after “so much money has been spent”, Jersey’s new hospital still has not been built.
“I came from a country where the whole world witnessed how a hospital can be built within 72 hours,” she said.
Ms Li said she previously worked in international education, supporting British schools expanding in China, before working with the Beijing City Government.
Following this she moved to Oxford and worked in the Family and Children’s service for a short period of time before moving to Jersey around five years ago.
She said that Jersey needs to re-imagine its education system, adding: “I think this is the timing for us to change the narrative as education is everything. It’s the foundation of our society. It’s our economic strategy.”
Ms Li also said that Jersey needs to do more to diversify its economy and encourage more entrepreneurship.
“As a business owner, I understand that sometimes you need to diversify what I’m offering as products or services. It’s the same as the Island economy,” she said.
“We have many passionate entrepreneurs on this Island who are working in all different industries.
“It’s important that we look at how our policies can enable them to provide better services and help them grow.
“Because once the industries grow, our children and young people will have more jobs to enter, not only in the financial services but also others.
“That gives them reason to stay and live a meaningful life on the Island.”
She also stressed the importance of government continuing to work on policies to support women such as flexible working.
“There’s a slogan in China that we use that says ‘women lift half of the sky’,” she said. “It’s not only about the productivity, the efficiency, but the societal functionality.
“In a thriving society, thriving economy, we need to support not only mothers, but women and young women.
“We need a more equitable society for them to grow that at the same time ensures their intention to be a mother doesn’t conflict with their desire to be a leader.”
There are three seats on offer in St Helier North, with sitting Deputies Max Andrews and Steve Ahier seeking re-election. Deputy Inna Gardiner is standing as St Helier Constable, while Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat is seeking an Islandwide mandate in the Senatorial election.
