Questions you want us to ask

THE Senatorial elections are under way and, from now until polling day on 15 October, the air will be thick with political promises.

To help focus attention on the issues of most concern to Islanders, the JEP has invited all 21 candidates to answer a series of questions covering a wide range of key topics. Their responses will be published both in the JEP and here on the election section of this website.

Find answers to the questions here:
• Should there be a population limit? If so, what?
• What proportion of further education fees should parents have to pay?
• Should Jersey meet the UN overseas aid target of 0.7% – or £23.8m?
• Should we introduce UK-style anti-social behaviour measures like ASBOs and dispersal zones?
• Should we be legally required to recycle more of our waste? What should the target be?
• Should the States sell off more property and utility assets?
• What would you do to help Islanders struggling with rising food and fuel costs?
• Should the States pay more towards the cost of going to the doctor?
• What would you do to protect the environment and countryside economy?
• Are the current Waterfront plans to sink the road the right way forward?
• How would you make accommodation more affordable to Islanders?
• Should Jersey adopt the Guernsey-system of extra Social Security payments to provide for an ageing population?
• Should States spending be reduced? If so, how?
• Should Jersey introduce Central European Time?
• Should Jersey have a casino?
• Should food be exempt from GST?
• Do you aspire to ministerial office? If so, which?
• Who should be the next Chief Minister?
• How much have you spent on your election campaign?
• If you were 16, what issues would you consider important?
• Should we have a financial deposit compensation scheme? (this question was put before the States announced their protection plan)
• What are your thoughts on the apparent conflict between tentative plans for the area south-east of La Collette and the Ramsar scheme?
• Should school reports and grades be more open, as in the UK?
• Should a ‘none of the above’ option be added to electoral ballots?
• Would you still be standing if the pay was equal to the States basic pension?
• Is the tax system fair?

With parish meetings likely to give little time for questions with so many candidates on the platform, the ‘JEP hustings’ is designed to give voters an additional indication of where the 21 stand on the issues with which the New States will have to wrestle after what are widely considered the most important elections of recent years, culminating in December with a new Chief Minister and Council of Ministers.