JERSEY’S new government has taken shape after elections for 12 ministerial posts took place over the course of a two-day States sitting, with the composition of the next Council of Ministers proving a relatively straightforward process for Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham.
After being the only candidate for the top job as the Assembly met for the first time ten days previously, Senator Farnham saw all 12 of his nominees for ministerial office elected.
Only two of the politicians on Chief Minister’s shortlist were challenged, with the second contest coming at the start of business yesterday as Deputy Gerald Voisin was challenged by Deputy Montfort Tadier for the role of Economic Development Minister.
Deputy Voisin, who served as President of the Economic Development Committee from 2002 to 2005, prior to the switch to ministerial government, gave an impassioned speech, focusing on the “virtually zero” growth in the Island’s economy since 2000, and a similar lack of growth in real-time average earnings since 2001.
Had average earnings increased over the past 20 years at half the rate seen during the 1990s, workers would earn £7,000 more today than they did 25 years ago, he said, pinning the blame for this on the failings of successive governments.
“Our failure in here [the Assembly] has cost people out there £7,000 per year,” he said.
In a bid to stimulate the economy, the representative for St Helier North said he would seek to remove barriers and controls to business to combat the “over-regulation” that he said had “drained the confidence” of the business sector. Housing was also a key element of growing the economy, he added.
Deputy Voisin also referenced the visitor economy, saying that businesses in this sector felt “utterly betrayed” by the government’s lack of support.
“It will be a big job to rebuild their trust,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s nominee was challenged by Deputy Montfort Tadier, who said that complacency and a lack of ambition were two of the biggest challenges facing the Island.
The representative for St Brelade, entering his sixth term in the Assembly, said a bolder vision for the economy was required and that he was optimistic that this year’s intake of States Members would bring vision and positive energy to the political arena.
Making Jersey the equivalent of a university town was one of Deputy Tadier’s main ideas for stimulating the economy, saying that this would help combat the current position where many young people left the Island for higher education and a significant proportion did not return.
If students came to Jersey to study they would bring creative energy and take up summer and evening jobs, he added.
Deputy Voisin was appointed after securing 35 to Deputy Tadier’s 13.
The final minister to be elected was Senator Alan Maclean, appointed as Treasury Minister without a challenge.
Senator Maclean pledged to restore financial discipline, rebuild reserves and not to increase spending without achieving a corresponding increase in income.
As part of a focus on procurement, Senator Maclean said he had already taken steps to recruit Deputy Robert Parker as an assistant minister with specific responsibility for this area.
One further ministerial appointment is planned for later this month after Senator Farnham initiated a move to change the law in order to enable a Planning Minister to be appointed at the next sitting of the Assembly. This will lead to the Chief Minister nominating Senator Sir Mark Boleat as his preferred candidate for this role.
The proposed splitting of functions between the Environment and Planning roles was addressed during elections for the chairs of Scrutiny panels and committees that play a key role in the business of the Assembly.
Nominated to resume the role of chair of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure panel, Deputy Hilary Jeune said the proposed split was a “huge change”.
“It is not clear how the department budget will be divided, and whether environment will have sufficient resources for its statutory functions such as climate, PFAS, marine protection and animal welfare now that planning and regulatory income and officer capacity have been separated,” she said.
Deputy Jeune also raised concerns about where accountability for matters of environmental protection would lie, and said she would be seeking answers to a range of important questions from Environment Minister Mary Le Hegarat, as well as Senator Boleat, in the coming weeks.
The other four Scrutiny chairs elected, all unopposed, included two newcomers to the Assembly: Deputies Samantha Gleave (Economic and International Affairs) and Victoria Li (Children, Education and Home Affairs). Former Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham, the acting leader of Reform Jersey, was elected as chair of Corporate Services, while her Reform colleague Deputy Beatriz Porée was chosen to chair the Health and Social Security panel.
Chairs of three other committees were also chosen, in each case without the need for an election. These were Deputies Carina Alves (Privileges and Procedures), Karen Wilson (Public Accounts Committee) and Alex Curtis (Planning Committee).
