Members spent more than a day debating whether the Bailiff should be removed as President of the States and replaced with an elected speaker. He would remain head of the Island’s judiciary regardless of the outcome of any vote.
Following recommendations in the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry report to review the separation of powers between the law-making States and the law-interpreting courts, Chief Minister Ian Gorst brought forward proposals to replace the Bailiff Sir William Bailhache with a speaker.
Those proposals were amended by External Relations Minister Sir Philip Bailhache, a former Bailiff and the brother of Sir William, to hold a referendum on the matter and only remove the Bailiff from the States should a majority of voters agree.
The final proposals were approved by 25 votes to 21 – the minimum amount required to approve a proposition on constitutional change.
