From Kim Noble.
I WRITE in response to R McCredie’s letter (11 November). I too find it unbelievable that there are moves in place to prevent Senator Syvret making his speech at Christmas.
What should be happening are moves to have him removed from his privileged position and thrown out of a States Assembly for which he seems to hold no respect.
I would certainly question the claim that he is the most popular politician in the Island. Perhaps once he was extremely popular. However, in recent times he has become totally unreliable, as you can see if you are inclined to waste time on reading his blog rantings.
Let us not forget that he is a paid servant of this Island, being paid by us, the taxpayers. In recent months he has done nothing other than try to bring this Island down. His petulant ‘little boy’ attitude at long last is being seen by the public.
He was an intelligent young man when he first arrived in the States, but he is now a spoilt child who throws a tantrum when he can’t have his own way.
I can’t understand how he can continue to walk into the Chamber, time after time, given his loathing of the very people who are conducting themselves in the manner expected of those elected to the States.
Place Noel,
Chemin des Maltières,
Grouville.
Article posted on 18th November, 2008 - 3.00pm
27 Article Comments
errr Kim. Do you not think that throwing out an elected member of the States because you don’t like him or what he says might just be somewhat anti-democratic, to put it mildly?
Report abuse
Is it so painful to hear the truth?
Report abuse
Like them or hate them, they are all elected by the people of Jersey.
They can resign of their own free will or they can lose at the ballot box.
Report abuse
Kim, millions of men and women died in the last war in order to safeguard your right to speak!
As much as do not like what you are saying, I know that Stuart Syvret would put himself on the line to defend your right to say it!
I personally do not like what Walker and his cronies have to say but, they are demacraticaly elected and I would defend to the death thier right to freadom of speach!
Report abuse
I believe that the anger felt by States Members like Senator Syvret and Deputy Southern has been caused through sheer frustration. In recent years and particularly following ministerial givernment, proposals that would be excellent for the Island and its people have been dismissed out of hand because they were not put forward by those in favour with the ministers. After a year or two these are then brought forward by members who are looked upon favourably by the ministers and passed, with the ministers or their favourites getting the kudos. In the meantime the people of Jersey have missed out on something that could have been benefical to them for all this time.
Hopefully, if commonsense prevails during and after next week’s elections and we manage to elect some good new deputies, they in turn might swing the balance inthe right direction sothat they can help elect a moderate CM that is acceptable to all factions in the States and we might see an end to this kind of scenario. This will also mean that these highly intelligent people can put their energies into giving the people of Jersey the kind of givernment it really wants and hopefully get us through the next few years in good shape as there are definitely big challenges ahead of us.
Report abuse
Many people I speak to about Senators like Stuart Syvret are weary of listening to him. Geoff Southern has never been a king of the majority either and he has been around long enough.
New deputies? As long as they have proven life experience I agree with you.
Report abuse
Not all young people live in ivory towers. Many of them have seen and experienced the struggle their families have had to make ends meet and many of them have coped with secular employment as well as continuing with their education. In many ways they are more up-to-date with what is required in the Island today by younger people and families than some of the older, wealthier States members who have lost touch with reality.
What we need is a balance between younger States members and the older experienced ones. We might then achieve a government that is more representative of the Island as a whole.
Report abuse
I disagree, a balance of experienced people. If the people that have struggled are just putting their kids forward for election then I cannot see the merits in this. To represent the people you have to walk in their footsteps yourself. I get the feeling some young people are just looking for £42,000 a year.
Report abuse
Even if the 42,000 per year salary is tempting, most of the States members look quite haggard and tired after a year or two because of all the hard work
Report abuse
Well Sara, the experienced people haven’t done a very good job of late in governing the Island to the peoples’ satisfaction so perhaps we need a little more “thinking outside the box” and a return to plain commonsense which at least we have a chance of obtaining from new blood.
The deputies are seen by many as the apprentices in the States (which is debatable with some of the excellent deputies we have) but in any case the younger people have to start somewhere and the earlier they start the quicker they’ll gain experience.
In any case, this is a democracy and the people will decide for themselves next week so arguing about the merits of youth v experience has little worth.
Report abuse
I am happy to pay some of the lowest taxes in Europe and my standard of living is better than what it was in London Nellie. Maybe this is why there are so low turn outs to elections. The majority are happy with the way things are and only a minority want to kick up a stink.
I am fed up of hearing this “everybody rubbish”. The minority complains and thats what they will always ever do.
Report abuse
We get the government we deserve, remember that 50% choose not to use their vote, our politicians are elected through a democratic process – but how democratic are we when such blatant voter apathy is in evidence?
Ask yorselves what have the present assembly done to engage the hearts and minds of the electorate, and what has the assembly done to reform the electoral process?
Do we need 53 politicians, do we have de facto party politics in that there is a clear division between the Council of Ministers and the rest of the chamber. The ‘No Confidence’ debate iniated by Stuart Syvret clearly evidenced that within the assembly all was not well, but what is to be done and who will do it and how?
Given past performance I am not hopeful of a radical overhaul and it will be interesting to see how poll topper Ian Le Marquand will view his colleagues once he has a taste of debating in the chamber and trying to bring about the reform he referred to whilst electioneering.
Report abuse
Sara walk a mile in the shoes of a family that is struggling and then tell us life is rosy here.
Report abuse
Mr Syvret should be allowed to reasonably say what he likes during the traditional Christmas speech by the Father of the House. I am not a big fan of the Senator but he is ballsy and is not afraid to say what he believes is correct. Free speech is a right we enjoy thanks to the sacrifice of many and the dedication of more. If we the electorate wish to continue listening to him, then we should vote for him accordingly in the proper democratic way.
Report abuse
Sarah, no argument here, but try living in the UK. Negative equity, unemployment and debt are main worries from people I know at the moment. You don’t realise how good you actually have it.
I am getting really fed up of these left wing “poor us” arguments. Try some counties in the UK and have a taste of real problems for a change.
Report abuse
I completly agree with Sara
Jersey is a great place to live where there is little real poverty compared with a lot of places.
Most of those who have emigrated to england are well off due to the saving they made in Jersey while on high wages going a lot further in the UK due to the relative lower cost of living.
Report abuse
I am a born and bred Islander, though my father originally came here before the Second World War in order to make a better life for himself.
He worked hard all of his life and got involved in local politics – in those days supporters of individual politicians used to actually come to blows to settle arguments! Can anyone remember the vibrancy of politics back then?
I remember politicians like Cyril Le Marquand, Philip Le Feuvre, JJ Le Marquand. There were also the “young turks” in those days like John Averty. The difference I feel is that then those people had a real desire to improve the Island and the well being of its populace.
Most (but not all) of the modern day politians seem must more intent in furthering their own interests rather than the greater good.
When I had access to such discussions there were those who talked of raising the local population to at least 100,000. Their goal was to expand the economy and gain from development. Social conscience did not figure high on the agenda.
I do not have a particularly high regard for Senator Syvret as I have personal knowledge of some of that which led to his original suspension from the States, with all of the attendant problems which that caused to the appropriate administration of proper government.
I do, however, respect his right to view his opinions openly as a properly elected member of the Government of Jersey – unwelcome as these may be to others who hold opposing views.
In summary, as a boring old fart, or is it now a grumpy old man (?), I want to express a desire for the return of some real old fashioned Statesmen who gave of their time freely and without the wish for financial or political gain but just for the good of the Island and its people.
Report abuse
I think the problem with the world GC is that it moves on. I know a lot of people that setteld here in the 60’s and despite their gripes, they have made a lot of money.
When I hear people moaning about living in Jersey and then demanding a slice of somebody else’s cake I wonder what their real motives are.
But to say we are in trouble like some of these deputy candidates are saying is absolute tosh.
Report abuse
I think we could actually have a themed States of Jersey assembly; instead of being the new First Minister TLS could be the new captain of the Starship Enterprise (sorry Jersey). FW being a sort of retiring Captain Kirk and TLS a Jean-Luc Picard sort of chap who just points his finger and utters ‘make it so’ and it just happens.
The whole SoJ can live in its own little world as the ‘Bridge’ of the Enterprise and the rest of the island can be the ship and crew. It would be really great; we could warp time and space, have weird encounters with aliens from different world (aka other countries like England, Australia and Dubai).
These aliens could dock with our ship in their own craft; Flybe from the series ‘Lost in Space’ or BMI Baby, or we could send ‘away parties’. Just like in the series the ‘away party’ (bit of a clue in the word ‘party’) is always composed of senior crew unless you want to kill someone off; then they get ‘crewman anon’ (just pick a senior police officer) who gets eaten by a monster or turned to stone; remember the away team always travels in the first class shuttle, nothing less (aka Business Class).
These aliens would make important treaties with universe shattering implications (tax information exchange with the Faroe Islands for example, wow!) or deposit loads of Dilithium Crystals (money) with us for safe keeping in our stable, secure, really nice cuddly space ship.
The holosuite would allow us to pretend we had a normal existence; shopping, and living a retro lifestyle, getting wet in the rain, sick, grow old, live on a pittance of a pension and die. All the time though we would be guided by Captain TLS of the Starship Jersey ‘making it so’!
Senator Syvret (SSS) would be a Lt Worf type chap ploughing his own furrow making speeches at the big Christmas party about ‘Klingons on the Starboard Bow’
The Borg Collective could be the EU a great assimilating amorphous cube straightening our bananas and zapping our pounds and ounces
Wendy Kinnard would make a great ‘Seven of Nine’ on the basis that she would look rather cool head shaved and wrapped in flashing Christmas lights
Live Long and Prosper Jersey and don’t let reality get in the way of a great time.
Report abuse
but would it not be highly democratic to throw out someone who actively appears to have little respect for the government or what his role should be within society?
it just suprises me how often he manages to get his face in the JEP when he had little relevance to the event/wasn’t even invited to the talk. What good have his comments done? how has it benifited us?
I am all for change, flexible and welcoming constitutions yet Syvret ignores the concept of unity and cannot benifit the island – we should all respect the island and the people and this respect must be earned; for he is yet to earn my respect and he is yet to respect life.
Report abuse
Sara you do not know what you are talking about. The Island is full of greedy people who are only interested in them selves. No one is looking after the poor or middle income families. Nothing for families to do no support for families poor public spending I could go on for pages and pages of how this Island is only looking after the rich and the finance industry. There is more to life than money its a shame most people do not understand this.
Report abuse
I do not know anybody in Jersey who is as hard hit as you claim. Try looking at other places in the UK where people live on the streets, with knowhere else to go, and then claim people have it bad in Jersey.
Report abuse
Syvret has done more than nearly all other Members, in that he speaks to the people and interacts with them. You witness this with any other Member?
Report abuse
Why the comparisons with the mainland? I live in Jersey and have no intention of moving. That’s why some of us ‘lefties’ complain about the inequities built into the system over here.
Report abuse
‘When I hear people moaning about living in Jersey and then demanding a slice of somebody else’s cake I wonder what their real motives are.’
My, and hopefully most people’s, motive is redistribution of wealth and to stop the gap between rich and poor increasing as it has been. Fairness and equity.
Report abuse
Well I am sick of paying tax towards free riders of our society. Some people think this Island owes them a living.
Report abuse
the reason for the stresses and strains in government is that progress is hindered by the lack of transparency. it may get bumpy for the establishment but with the total control of information bumpy is just fine.
Report abuse