AS he prepares to continue in the role at the head of Jersey’s government that he has held since January 2024, Senator Lyndon Farnham said he had sought to include as broad a range of views as possible in his list of ministerial nominations.
“It’s important to have different views around the table and for ministers to be challenged – that’s what we had over the past two years and I hope it’ll be the same in the next government,” the Chief Minister Designate told the JEP shortly after confirming his slate of nominees.
He added: “It’s important that the new government reflects the make-up of the new Assembly, in line with the results of the election.”
Ministers will be elected at the States sitting which begins on Monday morning, with other States Members having the right to put themselves forward against the candidate backed by Senator Farnham.
Among the stand-out features of the list were a potential return for Alan Maclean to the Treasury Minister role he held between 2014 and 2018, the inclusion of Deputy Catherine Curtis as the lone nominee from Reform Jersey – as Education Minister – and the creation of the new role of Planning Minister to be filled by Senator Sir Mark Boleat.
Senator Farnham said: “I was mindful of the role that Alan played previously – he has a great deal of experience, and after discussion I felt he was the best person for the job.”
Senator’s Maclean’s Treasury nomination meant a shift of portfolios for the incumbent, Senator Elaine Millar.
“Elaine has done a very solid job, but I believed the time was right for a change and she was happy to go back to Social Security,” said Senator Farnham, referencing Senator Millar’s 18-month tenure at Social Security prior to the change of government in 2024.
Deputy Curtis was a late inclusion on Thursday evening prior to the Chief Minister Designate submitting his list to the States Greffe yesterday morning. It is understood that Deputies Lucy Stephenson and Phil Romeril had both featured in discussions over the Education role before Senator Farnham finalised his choices.
Creating the role of Planning and Regulation Minister is intended to achieve a greater focus on planning matters and delivery of an improved regulatory environment, Senator Farnham said. The move will require a change in the law which would then clear the way for Senator Boleat to be nominated during the Assembly sitting scheduled for mid-July.
Four ministers will – if elected – retain their ministerial roles: Senators Tom Binet (Health) and Ian Gorst (External Relations), plus Deputy Carolyn Labey (International Development) and Constable Richard Vibert (Children and Families).
Two former ministers who lost their jobs following the vote of no confidence in then Chief Minister Kristina Moore at the start of 2024 have been included on the list, with Senator Helen Miles, who topped the Island-wide poll at the election earlier this month, lined up for a return to the Home Affairs brief. Former Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf, a trenchant critic of the government over the past two years, has been nominated for Infrastructure.
Deputy Malcolm Ferey is Senator Farnham’s choice for Housing Minister, while Deputy Gerald Voisin will be nominated to take the role of Economic Development Minister formerly held by Deputy Kirsten Morel and Senator Mary Le Hegarat is lined up for Environment.
Eight of the nine successful Senatorial candidates are being nominated for ministerial roles , with former England netball international Serena Kersten, who finished fifth in the Island-wide poll, as the exception.
Senator Farnham confirmed that Senator Kersten was likely to take up an assistant ministerial role covering sport, while Deputy Rose Binet would return as Assistant Health Minister.
A maximum of five other assistant ministers can be appointed, with a legal limit contained in the so-called Troy Rule restricting the total size of the government to 21 of the the 49 States Members.
Senator Farnham said that he would seek to cover the necessary bases by adding assistant ministerial duties to some of his ministers’ job descriptions, and admitted that he may consider asking the Assembly if the Troy limit could be adjusted upwards.
“I wish there were more [available] places – there were some very capable people in contention and these were difficult choices,” he said, admitting that parts of his list had been “fairly fluid” until it was finalised late on Thursday.
