By John Boothman
On 22 December, exactly six months will have passed since the 2022 general election. As our attention will by then be focused on more festive matters, forgive me for jumping the gun with this appraisal of how the new government has performed during its first half-year in office.
But before doing that, a few lines on the election itself, the result of which was, by Island standards, quite radical. Expectations of an increased voter turnout and a triumph for the three new political parties were dashed (they only managed a meagre four seats between them). On the other hand, there was a virtual clean sweep of those who had served in the previous administration. Most had huddled together in the protective embrace of the Jersey Alliance, which turned out to be a forlorn hope; the JA lost eight of the nine seats its members had previously held. It was the biggest clear-out of a leadership team in living memory – even the Chief Minister lost his seat.
This emphatic vote for change translated into a new slate of ministers, some with previous experience in government, others fresh to their roles. How are they doing so far? To say ‘better than the last lot’ sounds very like damning with faint praise, but while comparisons may be odious they’re also unavoidable.
Gone is a government most of whose members gave the clear impression they would rather be somewhere – anywhere – other than where they were, holding elective office. Gone too the impression of hand-to-mouth crisis management, the feeling of drift, the nettles un-grasped (let alone uprooted), the lack of meaningful strategic planning, the overwhelming sense of exhaustion.
The new government both looks and feels different from the old. As Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore comes across well: a team leader who knows her own mind but is willing to listen, not just to senior officials but to colleagues, informed interest groups and even political opponents. And the team itself is surely a significant improvement. Newly-elected Deputies Tom Binet and David Warr have hit the ground running. Ian Gorst outperformed most of his former colleagues and deserves to be back, this time adding a sure touch to the challenging Treasury portfolio. Philip Ozouf may be a divisive figure but he has impressive political credentials and, judging by his lower-key demeanour this time round, seems to have learned lessons from past ministerial quarrels. He is well placed at External Affairs to build on Deputy Gorst’s positive legacy.
So far so good but, six months in, what concrete achievements does the new government have to its credit? Measures have been taken to shield the least well-off from the cost-of-living crisis, including a sharp rise in the minimum wage. Relations with France have improved. Serious attention is being paid to the urgent need for a new immigration strategy. Steps are being taken to alleviate the chronic shortage of affordable housing. Thomas Holvey, recently appointed as chief economic advisor, is keen to remove barriers facing new firms, and relax some of the pressures on existing businesses; he thinks 2% annual growth is achievable with the right policies, though as ever our economic performance is hugely dependent on international forces completely beyond our control.
Perhaps most important, Deputy Binet has called time on the unworkable ‘hospital on a hill’ project. With major access problems, and government spending power diminished by the Covid crisis, this was always a bad idea; a combination of construction cost inflation and a steep rise in borrowing costs have made it entirely unrealistic. Given the predictable uproar from clinicians and vested interests this was a brave but necessary reappraisal, though I remain unconvinced that a multi-site hospital is the best alternative solution. Perhaps time for a last look at the Waterfront (level site, States-owned, central location) or failing that Warwick Farm?
Of course it was never going to be all wine and roses. Reactivating the rent tribunal, then packing it with landlord interests at the expense of tenants, was an unforced error, though in fairness to the Housing Minister this was swiftly corrected.
Whatever its medium-term prospects, for now our economy remains weakened by the Covid aftermath and the energy price spike; household budgets are under significant strain from rising mortgage rates, rents and retail price inflation; the immigration conundrum (eliminating chronic staff shortages in care homes and other key sectors, without placing the Island’s housing capacity and infrastructure under intolerable strain) remains unresolved; and (in an uncomfortable echo of the Charlie Parker regime) the intractable organisational problems at Health are to be tackled by a highly paid UK-based consultant. Presumably lessons have been learned from previous initiatives of this kind. And talking of organisational change, I’m hoping that civil service head Suzanne Wylie, as she approaches the first anniversary of her appointment, adopts a more determined approach to public sector reform and productivity than we have seen so far.
One of the biggest beefs with the previous government was the performance of the Orwellian communications unit, whose remit seems to have been concealment and obfuscation. Refreshingly, the incoming Chief Minister promised a more open and candid approach, even if this meant embarrassing revelations coming to public notice. How depressing, then, that illegal steps taken by the police (evidently with the sanction of the judiciary) in connection with the seizure of assets and documents relating to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich resulted in an abject apology coupled with payment of compensation, the quantum of which together with other details remain undisclosed. Why? And who, if anyone, has been held to account for the debacle? Given that public money is being paid out, don’t we have a right to know?
Still, the season of goodwill is upon us, so let’s end on a positive note. Our new government has made meaningful progress on several fronts, and other initiatives look likely to come to fruition in 2023. We have a more impressive crop of frontline politicians than I can readily recall. The coming year won’t be easy, but beyond that is the prospect of happier times. Despite the multiple challenges we face as a tiny, storm-tossed jurisdiction, I remain convinced that we are better placed to move forward successfully than we were six months ago. I hope we can all raise a glass to that.
