A MINISTER has been told he will be sacked if he speaks out of turn again – following days of controversy over the minimum wage sparked by a letter to the JEP.
Economic Development Minister Gerald Voisin was read the riot act by Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham, made to issue a public apology for breaking ministerial ranks and forced to row back on comments regarding the rate of the minimum wage.
The warning from Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham followed repeated requests for clarification from the JEP about whether Economic Development Minister Gerald Voisin was expressing his views about the Island’s minimum wage in an official, or personal, capacity.
Yesterday’s joint statement between the two politicians came after an unsuccessful attempt by the government to shut down the issue on Wednesday afternoon.
The initial claim, issued by the government’s Communications Unit, was that the Deputy Voisin’s views about the level of the minimum wage – which he said was strangling the economy and turbocharging inflation – were not made in an official capacity.
At the time, the brief statement from Union Street said simply: “The Minister wrote to the Jersey Evening Post in a personal capacity. Any further discussion on this matter will take place within the Council of Ministers rather than through the media, and he will not be available for interview.”
The JEP can reveal that Deputy Voisin sent his initial letter on Friday, using his personal email address and copying two civil servants, including Chief Economist Thomas Holvey. Following a request for clarification, he confirmed in writing that “the letter is from me as Minister for Economic Development”.
In a letter to Deputy Voisin, released yesterday, Senator Farnham said the comments about the minimum wage had sparked “understandable concern among many Islanders” and were in breach of the ministerial code requiring ministers and assistant ministers to adopt a “no surprises” approach to significant public announcements and to consider bringing them to the Council of Ministers before publication.
“I have consistently made clear that collective discussion and consideration should be the starting point for… significant government policy, unless an explicit ‘agreement to differ’ has been reached following discussion by the Council of Ministers,” Senator Farnham wrote. “I reiterated this expectation at the beginning of this term of office and it remains a fundamental principle of how I expect government business to be conducted.”
The issue of the minimum wage was first raised in Value Jersey member Douglas Kruger’s JEP column who advocating disbanding the statutory minimum hourly rate. A subsequent letter to the editor from Value Jersey’s board members – including Mr Kruger – offered support before Deputy Voisin, who endorsed the lobby group at June’s election, said that criticism of Mr Kruger’s “thought-provoking column suggesting that we no longer need a minimum wage in Jersey are disappointing in their level of debate”.
In his statement yesterday following discussions with Senator Farnham, Deputy Voisin said: “The minimum wage is a policy issue which cuts across the portfolios of several other ministers and so it is only right that issues like these are debated internally within the Council of Ministers so that the government can reach a collective position.
“I recognise that by writing directly to the media I did not allow for this and so I would like to apologise to the Chief Minister, the Minister for Social Security and my colleagues on the Council of Ministers and have given the Chief Minister an undertaking that this will not happen again.
“I would also like to apologise to any Islanders who were concerned or unsettled by my comments, particularly those who rely on the minimum wage and may have been worried about what my remarks could mean for them and their families.”
Senator Farnham said he now hoped to move on, while at the same time placing Deputy Voisin on notice about the consequences of any repetition.
“Given your acknowledgement of what occurred and your willingness to rectify matters, I am content to proceed on the basis of your apology and the assurances you have provided,” he concluded his letter to Deputy Voisin, who returned to the political arena in June’s election following a six-year stint as Deputy for St Lawrence between 1999 and 2005.
The Chief Minister added: “I did, however, make clear that any further significant failure to observe the ministerial code or appropriate ministerial processes would lead me to expect your resignation as Minister for Economic Development.”
Both ministers sought to clarify their respective positions on the question of the minimum wage.
Deputy Voisin said: “My letter did not state that Jersey’s statutory minimum wage should be removed and for the avoidance of doubt, I will not be pursuing an abolition.
“I recognise the important protection this provides to employees and the reassurance it gives that there is a minimum level below which wages cannot fall.
“I do, however, believe there is a legitimate discussion to be had on future policy responses to help Islanders cope with the high cost of living in Jersey, a part of which will include the minimum wage.”
Senator Farnham said: “The government has no intention of abolishing the statutory minimum wage, which provides an important protection for lower-paid workers.”
