By Rowland Huelin
IT appears, even with six months to go, that we are entering election season, which led me to ponder on what is actually happening.
What I’d like to do is share the process and the thinking behind standing and then, if successful, what happens in the early days of being elected to represent Islanders in the Chamber. While there is one political party of note in Jersey, this is from the eyes of the independent which makes up the vast majority.
Social media, in today’s world, is rife with criticism of Members of the Assembly, particularly ministers who may not do what you want them to. What I hope to explain is that it’s not those who are brave and selfless enough to put themselves up for such a public office, but it’s the system that is lacking.
When I stood for Deputy of St Peter in 2018 I had a few key “priorities”, which was how I described my manifesto. I put them on an A5 card, small enough to pop through a letterbox, took a nice photo, set up some social media pages and then stomped the lanes, streets and pavements of the parish.
My father was a well-known figure in the parish having been born in the parish, and lived and farmed land in St Peter from after the war until he died in 2001. I was flattered but shocked by the number of times I was told, and please use your best Jersey accent, “I remember your father, damn good man, you have my vote”. I’m sure it helped on election day, and I’m grateful to all those who voted for me. However, it told me quite clearly that standing, especially in the country parishes, is a beauty parade. You are not elected on your experience, policies, and what you can do for the Island and all Islanders.
What I also know is that after being elected I was never challenged on my key nine priorities. It was as if they weren’t relevant to the decision to put a cross in the box next to my name.
After being sworn in you embark on the excellent training offered by the States Greffe. It’s like first day at a new school. There will be approximately 17 fresh Members put in a room together. Some faces you may recognise, however most you will not know at all. Yes, a quick scan of vote.je will inform you of some of the basics of your new best friends, and some will be members of a party (which makes it easy to see if you have any common ground) but basically you have to try to spend time with each and every one to see if you are, in any way, aligned. Finding time for coffee, or lunch etc, takes time. It’s like driving; you only really learn to drive after you’ve passed your test.
Meanwhile, those Members who are returning are behind different closed doors hatching the plan for the first and most important vote you will make in your whole four years. That is the vote to determine the Chief Minister. Your opinion of the prospective Chief Ministers will most likely be the same as the public. You may well have met the candidates a few times, indeed campaigned against them either in the same constituency, or as a Senator.
However, it is unlikely you will have an intimate knowledge of his or her strengths to make a fully informed decision. Most importantly, when campaigning you have no clear idea who will fulfil that role. You have no idea if you are aligned with their priorities and therefore have absolutely no idea what chance you have of delivering those priorities.
Meanwhile, the candidates for Chief Minister are running around trying to get the necessary support from the Assembly. Initially each candidate requires at least six signatures of support, and then there are the behind-the-scenes deals such as: “If you support me, I’ll nominate you as XYZ Minister!”
The result is the first time you push your voting button it is to decide the Chief Minister. That decision sets the tone, and indeed, determines the success of your term of office as a politician.
Then five days later the newly crowned Chief Minister tables his nomination for the 12 ministerial positions. You would hope these have been picked because they are all aligned in their vision for Jersey and its future. The reality is that compromises will already have been made as ministers may be appointed on the promise to support a contender’s bid.
Another unsettling thing is that anyone can stand against the Chief Minister’s nominated candidate for a ministerial post. If the challenger is successful, he or she will be in the Council of Ministers with what could be wildly different political opinions and aspirations. The Chief Minister therefore can’t select his own team to work with.
This can easily cause conflicts in the Council of Ministers resulting in poor watered-down outcomes, not clear strong policies based on a common vision.
Regardless of how the Council of Ministers is assembled they have four months to agree on the Strategic Plan for their term of government. Imagine 13 people, with 13 different priorities, or election promises, sitting down and all agreeing on what that plan should be. This is a bartering process of give and take. Such compromises, at every stage of the process, only dilute the strength and power of being able to deliver strong policies that must be actioned for the benefit of Jersey and its future.
What this means is the Strategic Plan, which in most western democracies would be called a manifesto, is cobbled together by 13 independent politicians all trying to push for their wildly differing election promises.
And what is worse, when you, the voter, are deciding which box to tick, you will have absolutely no idea what will be in the Strategic Plan, or indeed who will be the Chief Minister who will lead it.
This is a fundamentally flawed system that needs to change, and voting for one or two candidates who may have the vision of change won’t cut it, as on their own they will make no progress.
With such a dysfunctional process, should current levels of voter apathy really be that surprising?
Rowland Huelin was Deputy for St Peter between 2018 and 2022. Before returning to Jersey in 2014 he worked in the high technology industry for over 30 years. Feedback welcome on Twitter @chooserowland or rowland_ huelin@icloud.com.
