THE politician charged with reforming the States is so disillusioned with his time in office that he says he will probably leave the States on the eve of the switch to ministerial government.

Privileges and Procedures Committee president Senator Christopher Lakeman says it is ‘extremely unlikely’ that he will stand again in 2005, and has declined to comment on whether he will see out his current term of office.And he also launched an attack on the civil service, and the man seen as favourite to become Chief Minister – Senator Frank Walker.

In this week’s Saturday Interview, the 36-year-old Senator and Advocate said that while he had enjoyed working with States Members on the task of government reform, the attraction of the work was wearing off.’I think that he has some great achievements under his belt but I think that the first Chief Minister of Jersey needs to be somebody who has better people skills and better awareness of the opponents and detractors of ministerial government than Frank Walker.’It is obvious he has given an enormous amount of service but I have to say that I do not believe that he is the man to be Chief Minister.

‘I will anticipate the allegation that I am saying that out of personal advancement and the second allegation that it is out of personal animosity.

That is not my motivation,’ said the Senator.

After four years in the States, he also criticised the balance of power between elected politicians and unelected civil servants, and condemned poor standards within the civil service.’I think we protect an institutional mediocrity within the civil service.

We protect sloppy standards, bad English, poor service and bad explanation to the public,’ he said.’I went into law as a vocation and also part of me has always wanted to be a politician, but I have to say that if there was any magic beforehand, then that magic has disappeared.

It is extremely unlikely that I will be on the ballot in 2005.’