From Elena Moran.
SENATOR Stuart Syvret (JEP, 27 June) suggests that I, together with many other people who have moved to the Island from the UK, believe the UK is ‘some kind of model of near-perfection in its democratic habits’.
I do not know why Senator Syvret considers people from the UK to be quite so politically naïve. I imagine that anyone who has actually lived in the UK understands that the machinery of government there has its own problems, not least the overdue reform of the House of Lords.
The problems of the UK are not the issue. Attention needs to be focused on why there are so many areas where the law and policy in Jersey lag behind other developed countries.
Bellozanne pumps out levels of emissions that have been illegal in the EU for the past 12 years. Jersey is 38 years behind the UK in passing any discrimination legislation. The States should keep the Island up to date in all areas, not just laws on the finance industry.
The Senator ridicules my suggestion that there should be six Deputies with particular areas of expertise appointed by the Chief Minister and ratified by the States. But is it really less democratic than the current situation, where ministers who do not have the requisite expertise appoint consultants to tell them what to do?
Unelected consultants such as Hopkins Architects have considerably more influence over ministerial actions than any Deputy, appointed for his or her expertise, could ever hope to achieve. And of course an appointed Deputy would be subect to the scrutiny of the States and would receive £42,000 a year. I would hazard a guess that the fees paid to Hopkins Architects are considerably more.
Senator Syvret quite fairly criticises me for failing to explain what I mean by the ‘right’ kind of people standing for election. Honesty is essential. On top of that, I suggest that a good politician needs at least three attributes. First, he or she must be intelligent: politicians need to deal with complex issues on a daily basis. A person who simply can’t follow the argument can never be a good politician.
Second, he or she must be willing to listen and not pre-judge an issue. Too often politicians make their minds up without actually listening to the electorate or considering the evidence. Good policies are based on fact, not gut reaction or prejudice.
Third is the ability to deal with people. Politics is essentially a co-operative activity. A politician who can’t work with other people will always end up on the political sidelines.
A person with the right qualities can be a good politician irrespective of what he or she has done before. If a person has been successful in business, public service or a profession, it suggests that he or she possesses at least some of, but not necessarily all, the required attributes.
Finally, I want to expand a little on why I think political parties might benefit Jersey. I have already said that they could encourage better candidates to come forward, but there is a far more fundamental reason why political parties are important.
At the moment electors are faced with a large array of candidates, each with a different political agenda. As a result, it is impossible to predict what will happen when a selection of those candidates get elected. With political parties, you can vote for a group of people who all have the same agenda and have at least some hope that the policies you have voted for will actually be implemented.
Will party politics ever happen in Jersey? I suspect that the most we can hope for in the near future is an alliance of existing pressure groups who have a common interest such as the environment. Such an alliance may not present a complete political programme, but if it focuses on a few issues that capture the popular imagination, it could still be very influential in determining which candidates get elected. 2 Ferme du Marais,
Rue du Pont,
St Mary.
Why Jersey is falling behind
From Elena Moran.
SENATOR Stuart Syvret (JEP, 27 June) suggests that I, together with many other people who have moved to the Island from the UK, believe the UK is ‘some kind of model of near-perfection in its democratic habits’.
I do not know why Senator Syvret considers people from the UK to be quite so politically naïve. I imagine that anyone who has actually lived in the UK understands that the machinery of government there has its own problems, not least the overdue reform of the House of Lords.
The problems of the UK are not the issue. Attention needs to be focused on why there are so many areas where the law and policy in Jersey lag behind other developed countries.
Bellozanne pumps out levels of emissions that have been illegal in the EU for the past 12 years. Jersey is 38 years behind the UK in passing any discrimination legislation. The States should keep the Island up to date in all areas, not just laws on the finance industry.
The Senator ridicules my suggestion that there should be six Deputies with particular areas of expertise appointed by the Chief Minister and ratified by the States. But is it really less democratic than the current situation, where ministers who do not have the requisite expertise appoint consultants to tell them what to do?
Unelected consultants such as Hopkins Architects have considerably more influence over ministerial actions than any Deputy, appointed for his or her expertise, could ever hope to achieve. And of course an appointed Deputy would be subect to the scrutiny of the States and would receive £42,000 a year. I would hazard a guess that the fees paid to Hopkins Architects are considerably more.
Senator Syvret quite fairly criticises me for failing to explain what I mean by the ‘right’ kind of people standing for election. Honesty is essential. On top of that, I suggest that a good politician needs at least three attributes. First, he or she must be intelligent: politicians need to deal with complex issues on a daily basis. A person who simply can’t follow the argument can never be a good politician.
Second, he or she must be willing to listen and not pre-judge an issue. Too often politicians make their minds up without actually listening to the electorate or considering the evidence. Good policies are based on fact, not gut reaction or prejudice.
Third is the ability to deal with people. Politics is essentially a co-operative activity. A politician who can’t work with other people will always end up on the political sidelines.
A person with the right qualities can be a good politician irrespective of what he or she has done before. If a person has been successful in business, public service or a profession, it suggests that he or she possesses at least some of, but not necessarily all, the required attributes.
Finally, I want to expand a little on why I think political parties might benefit Jersey. I have already said that they could encourage better candidates to come forward, but there is a far more fundamental reason why political parties are important.
At the moment electors are faced with a large array of candidates, each with a different political agenda. As a result, it is impossible to predict what will happen when a selection of those candidates get elected. With political parties, you can vote for a group of people who all have the same agenda and have at least some hope that the policies you have voted for will actually be implemented.
Will party politics ever happen in Jersey? I suspect that the most we can hope for in the near future is an alliance of existing pressure groups who have a common interest such as the environment. Such an alliance may not present a complete political programme, but if it focuses on a few issues that capture the popular imagination, it could still be very influential in determining which candidates get elected.
2 Ferme du Marais,
Rue du Pont,
St Mary.
Article posted on 2nd July, 2008 - 2.59pm