THE six candidates standing in St Helier North were quizzed over how to cut red tape, road safety and government spending as they looked to secure valuable votes ahead of next month’s election.
It was not quite standing room only at d’Auvergne School – perhaps due to being hosted in the unenviable Friday night slot – but a healthy audience was on hand to grill those vying for the three Deputy seats in the district.
Public Accounts Committee chair Deputy Steve Ahier – seeking a third term – kicked off proceedings by advocating for a cut in fuel duty and a freeze on impôts, while stating that plans to introduce a waste charge should be shelved to tackle spiralling prices.
Deputy Ahier, who served as Assistant Infrastructure Minister between 2022 and 2024, added: “The big issue in St Helier North is the acute hospital. When the last government got in in 2022, they stopped Our Hospital project and spent four years making very little progress but it is imperative that the hospital goes ahead as soon as possible.”
Deputy Max Andrews, who was elected as a first-time candidate four years ago, pointed to his success in bringing propositions to make savings to the Cabinet Office budget and requiring estate agents to be members of a redress scheme, before speaking of his frustration at being “outnumbered” by the “old guard”.
“My main priority will be the size and cost of the government”, he said. “At the moment, we have a public sector deficit. We have been running cumulative deficits since Covid-19 of £345 million – that cannot continue.”
Former Chamber of Commerce and Jersey Hospitality Association president Ian Barnes said “decisions must be timely, spending must be disciplined and leadership must be accountable” as he addressed the crowd, adding that “at the moment, government is falling short on all three”.
He pointed to his business experience and said he would the hospitality and tourism sectors to be “represented at ministerial level”, adding “these sectors are central to our economy, our employment and our identity as an island”.
Victoria Li used her opening address to highlight issues within the Education Department, stating that “Jersey school readiness is below the UK average”, a high percentage of students that leave the Island for university do not return and children with additional needs are waiting “too long” for an assessment. “I believe we can do better”, the political newcomer said.
Ms Li, who is founder and director of Learn.je, also described that hundreds of millions spent on the new hospital without laying a brick as “unimaginable”.
Reform Jersey candidate Kevin O’Connell said that he is standing for “clarity, accountability and action”. He added that “development must support that community not overwhelm it”, arguing in favour of green spaces.
“Housing is fundamental and central to our stability,” he said. “I, in conjunction with my colleagues in Reform Jersey, will continue the good work to secure affordable homes and improve the standards that we have begun to move towards. I will support actions that bring empty properties back into use in line with the new tenancy law.”
The last to speak was department store owner Gerald Voisin, who served as a States Deputy between 1999 and 2005. He said that Jersey has “three big problems” – the cost-of-living crisis, excessive government spending and a lack of growth in the economy.
“My aim is a Jersey where wages go further and people can plan their future in confidence,” he said, adding that the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority should be investigating why “markets are so expensive and what we can do to bring prices down”.
Perhaps as a slight warning to Deputy candidates hoping to tackle the big ticket issues who still have their own hustings to come, the first two question-setters asked the six on stage what they would do to support the district, which the candidates fielded with varying degrees of success.
The hustings roadshow continues this evening, with the third in the Senatorial meets being held at St Ouen Parish Hall, while the Grouville Constable hustings – where only incumbent Mark Labey is standing – is also set to take place tonight.
