FOR me, this election cycle has proved again the desperate need for electoral reform – hopefully that will finally happen in the next four years.
Reform (not the party!) is the way to get more engaging elections and more good candidates. Reform means fewer representatives, probably one kind of States Member, and better pay for those that have greater responsibilities.
We also need an election process that is more engaging and discourages the pointless noise the no-hopers create, especially at the hustings.
Talking about reform, the other question for me is whether the party may be over for the Reform party, who did not really get much traction. A big surprise, given the efforts they put in and the many difficulties facing the citizens they are trying to represent.
No doubt they will be having a big rethink in the coming months and hopefully will come back fighting. Good luck to them.
With some new faces and some older but more experienced ones, there is now an opportunity to establish a more inclusive and diverse Council of Ministers.
My hopes are that there will be a greater focus on how government can support sustainable growth across all sectors of our economy and that we can finally have a grown-up debate about population growth.
Ministers and the Assembly will also need to think carefully about mega trends like artificial intelligence and the ageing society, which, longer term, could really change our Island.
On the positive side we finally have a real prospect of public-sector reform and a civil service able to give ministers the professional support they will need.
A famous politician once said: ‘We live in interesting times.’
I have a feeling that as far as Jersey is concerned, things are going to get a whole lot more interesting.
