More than a political sideshow
Monday 14th June 2010, 3:00PM BST.
ISLANDERS will go to the polls on Wednesday to choose a Senator.
The by-election winner will serve just 16 months or so, but his position as one of only 12 politicians able to claim an Islandwide mandate will nevertheless carry some weight. Of the field of nine candidates, Geoff Southern, Patrick Ryan and Gerard Baudains have earned their places on the platform as effective and experienced Deputies, while Francis Le Gresley’s work as head of the Citizens Advice Bureau gives him the required credentials of Islandwide service and expert insight into major issues. Their participation has ensured that that this has been a by-election of some significance and neither a formality nor a sideshow, as it might easily have become.
Ex-Senator Stuart Syvret is, of course, also a candidate for the seat he forfeited by his self-imposed exile but wrong in his egocentric assertion that this by-election is all about him and the personal agenda he so obsessively and vindictively pursues, apparently blind to the inconvenient fact that much of his criticism of Jersey’s health and social services relates to a period when he had political responsibility for them.
As the progress of the parish hustings has helped to make clear, there are many other matters of urgent public concern also demanding the attention of a new generation of clear-sighted, collaborative politicians. They include, notably, the impact on our society of public spending cuts; the dangers of over-development and the vital need for economic diversification; future levels and types of taxation; the elimination of government inefficiency and unaccountability; and the ever more unmanageable cost of living in Jersey.
Anyone pondering which way to vote on Wednesday would be well advised to weigh up the likelihood of each candidate contributing constructively to the difficult coming debates on issues of that kind. The poll-topper on 16 June should, in addition, be someone capable of demonstrating to voters his genuine concern for the well-being of all Islanders and his willingness to help unite the community at a time when it faces so many new and complex challenges.
We hope that, having given careful thought to the candidates’ claims and personal qualities, voters will turn out in large numbers on Wednesday, regardless of the fact that this is ‘only’ a by-election and despite such rival attractions as the World Cup. The right to exercise a democratic franchise is a precious one and it can rarely have been more important for electors in Jersey, with one eye on the general election of autumn 2011, to begin considering the question of how the quality of the Island’s political representation is to be raised from its present lacklustre and divisive level.
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What a wonderful hatchet job on Syvret that was. Well done! Of course it’s not about him. It’s about weather people trust the senior members of the States, the judiciary and the civil service. Are people happy to let the cover ups and incompetance continue?
This vote is a referendum on that. If Syvret get’s returned then it’s clear that no, people want change from the years of cover ups and denials
If he isn’t returned then people are happy with how things are and will get the government they deserve.
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Could not agree more. Stuart Syvret has been less than impressive in recent times and we need a newer fresher approach and also a calmer one to the challenges ahead.
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A referendum? So if people don’t vote for that little bigot then they are pro coverups. What absolute tosh.
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Or perhaps people want change from years of cover ups and denials, but also want a politician who can actually make these changes rather than throw their toys out of the pram at every opportunity.
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It’s all over for Syvret, I don’t know anybody thats voting for him on Wednesday. When he ran away for 6 months and behaved like a child that sowed it up for most people.
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It is going to come down to turn out and who can get their supporters through the doors of the polling booth on the day.
I have only seen one leaflet from a candidate so far and some do not seem to have any posters at all.
Turn out would be a miracle at 30% or less than one in three voters on past performance, it might drop below 20% or one in five overall and I reckon a few parishes might score less than 10% or one in ten for those in the finance industry who are a bit limited at maths!
So a generous 7,000 to win and I reckon four candidates will poll less than a thousand each in what is an island wide by election.
Another defeat for democracy but do the States care?
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Syvret is the only credible candidate worth voting for, he precipitated this election to give the electorate a clear choice, the current way things are done in Jersey or a sign that from the people of the island that they will no longer tolerate the way they are governed. Voting for Syvret won’t give him as an individual any more power (he is after all only one man) but is will sent a very powerful message that may be the catalyst to begin the change that is long overdue.
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Agree Tony (Comment No 1) – a hatchet job indeed. Quite shameful really, but hey this is the Establishment Press we are talking about.
Double standards too methinks, as exactly what they are accusing Stuart Syvret of doing, they are doing themselves, and always have done in regard to Mr Syvret and his agenda.
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An excellent piece of journalism by the JEP and so true!
The hustings with Stuart Syvret have just been a sideshow, he says he is honest yet nobody ever acts on what he says so how can it be honest?
The voting public deserve a much higher calibre of person now in the states and come Wednesday their preys will be answered.
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I could never understand why Stuart Syvret ran away form the magistrates court, went to london to hand himself in, then did nothing for 6 months but waffle rubbish, return to a further court appearance with more to follow and then expects me to go down to the Parish Hall and vote for him to possibly do it all over again. Sorry, I am not that daft and that goes for a lot of voters Stuart. Your u-turn was one of the saddest things I have ever witnessed in 40 years of Jersey politics.
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Petra #5
I shall be voting for him, so will my family. More so because of this editorial.
JEP – a disgraceful act of partisan comment. Balance is clearly not in your dictionary at Five Oaks. I shall not buy your worthless propaganda journal again.
Whether you like him or not he, and all the other candidates, are entitled to a fair and equal crack of the whip.
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What an obviously biased piece of journalism against Stuart Syvret and no I am not one of his supporters.
The JEP I feel,ought take a more neutral stance in its reporting in order to retain its credibility.At this juncture in time and so near to election day I would have expected the JEP to offer the voting public an impartial summary of all those standing,not pick out a chosen few and omit others who may well feel disadvantaged by this omission.
I feel that this article lacked impartiality and at imes came over as being quite agressive in its tone towards SS while seeming to lend its clear support to those other named individuals.
Again,biased and impartial and I expect a highter level of integrity from this islands newspaper.
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I wish these minority supporters of Stuart Syvret would stop trolling every website including this one with the same rumblings on about everybody agreeing with a fool that took legal exile and ended up with egg on his face 6 months afterwards.
Do they really believe everybody else in Jersey just fell off a Christmas Tree?
People have already decided who they are voting for and word on the street is that it is not their hero.
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“apparently blind to the inconvenient fact that much of his criticism of Jersey’s health and social services relates to a period when he had political responsibility for them.”
Bits of this editorial are good but spoiled by blatant misrepresentation. The above quote shows that the writer is “apparently blind” to the published facts that SS was trying to draw attention to the problems with H&SS when he was in charge and, by doing so, he was berated by the States and the media for destroying the morale of staff. Subsequently, he was toppled as Minister for the same “reason”.
The media, particularly the print medium, consistently uses the unqualified “staff” word when describing this time (allowing the population to think he was referring to doctors, nurses, frontline staff etc) when he was always referring to the top civil servants. Events since around Messrs Pollard and Day seem to have vindicated this stance.
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Nice work JEP. I thought a couple of recent editorials showed a change of approach. However normal service is resumed.
One would hope you’d all hold your own ‘profession’ in slightly higher esteem. Clearly not.
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Hatchet job of Syvret? These people must be confused, I think he has managed to do a hatchet job on himself.
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I think its good to see the JEP being totally honest for a change and this is limp in comparison to some of the accusations they have had to deal with from the pathetic citizens media guff.
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13 Chris le vescount….Oh dear ,come along now if you’re going to pretend to be a bean…at least learn how to spell the names….Face…egg…..who….you…clever boy.
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Quite honestly what any one candidate thinks they can achieve against the rank and file of the establishment beats me.
At the 11th hour the Policy and Procedures stump up our money to pay for a supplement in the JEP, it is too little too late.
The money would have been better spent on a supplement detalinig the intricacies of the politicial system in Jersey.
Recently some young people have commented in letters to the editor that they receive little or no tuition on the governance of this island and lack a full understanding of the system.
I suggest that they are not alone, and that many adults do not understand the difference of a district mandate, an island mandate, the fact that constables whilst elected by their parish have the same voting power as a deputy or senator. How many people understand the split of districts in St Helier, why a parish like Grouville has one deputy but St Mary’s has two? The difference in terms of a Senator or Deputy?
How many people grasp the non partisan approach to politics in Jersey, yet know that Ministers and Assistant Ministers are covertly singing from the same hymn sheet. How many people are aware that there is an overt party in the Chamber, the JDA?
How many people understand the theory that there may just possibly be a block vote that effectively stops any backbencher from getting a proposition through?
It is a fact that 50% of the electorate don’t bother to use their vote, but I sugest that over 50% have an opinion on the cutbacks being set in motion by certain politicians. How many people will have an opinion on Mr Ozoufs proposition to stop school milk? A proposition which will be debated, at tax payers expense for the third or fourth time. How many people will have an opinion on the disastrous trading estate like Waterfront, and lo the council of ministers not contenet with ruining a prime waterfront site want to expand the Waterfront Enterprise Board, island wide!
Clearly certain politicians do not sense the mood of the people, but who is to blame? Who returns them to office time and again?
I suggest that the antiquated system of governance, the over abundance of politicians and the resistance to political reform add to the voter apathy that pervades this island.
I ask you to consider whose fault is that?
I suggest that it is the fault of the majority of islanders who refuse to acknowledge or maybe just simply do not grasp the link between politicians and exercising your democratic right to vote and the outcome of social policy.
So to conclude the supplement was a half hearted gesture, too little too late and the money (tax payers money) should have been spent earlier educating the electorate.
If political reform does not come from within the states chamber, and voter apathy continues apace the Crown will eventually step in as they did in a similar juridsiction last year.
JTB
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19 I should think very few people know about St Mary having two Deputies. The electors of St Mary certainly weren’t told.
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The J.E.P. must be the most biased newspaper to be pubished anywhere outside of North Korea or China.
I was unsure who to vote for until I read that article.
Now I hope that Stuart Syvret wins out of sight.
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#21
Posted June 15, 2010 at 5:31 pm
‘The J.E.P. must be the most biased newspaper to be pubished anywhere outside of North Korea or China.’
Bean Bag, it’s nothing like as bad as it was when I was young. Then it was the ONLY medium in the island for conveying information, that information was the party line – as long as it agreed with the religious principles of the proprieters.
We were told in no uncertain terms what we do or don’t do in Jersey: We don’t open on Sundays, we don’t go topless on the beach, etc, etc. (I can’t remember exactly what we used to “do”, probably things like birching and sending undesirables back to the mainland and other forgotten practices).
Now we are fotunate enough to be allowed to comment on some, if not most, of the news stories via this forum. This alone is a giant leap forward.
Yes, It can be biased but that reflects the population as a whole!
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I could not believe what I was reading with the editorial comment above.
The JEP said,
Ex-Senator Stuart Syvret is, of course, also a apparently blind to the inconvenient fact that much of his criticism of Jersey’s health and social services relates to a period when he had political responsibility for them.
Now please redress this in-balance by telling your readers he was sacked for having little confidence in some sections of Health and social services and being and telling the Assembly the truth.
Then you can please point out how CORRECT he was and refer to the Verita report and the latest Serious Case Review of the 12 year old boy whom you published that several States departments were guilty of incompetence including social services over a long period.
Had Stuart Syvret been supported, several managers would have furthered their careers away from Jersey, and it’s unlikely these reports would have been needed or tragic mistakes made.
Davey.
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R B Bougourd #22
You say “We don’t open on Sundays, we don’t go topless on the beach, etc, etc. (I can’t remember exactly what we used to “do”, probably things like birching and sending undesirables back to the mainland and other forgotten practices).”
AHH the good old days, I do miss them.
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Davey West and others.
Why not try speaking to some employees of the HHS before making sweeping ill advised claims about Stuart Syvret’s handling of the department. I work there and I know more about this then you ever will and I do not agree with any of this cods whallop you are trying to make out.
You want honesty well there you have it gentlemen.
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PJG 24.
Re: AHH the good old days, I do miss them.
Really PJG, don’t you like topless women?
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May as well have the “Enfant terrble’ ” in now ..as if not it’s only 18 months to the next election…….A devil’s advocate is never a bad thing…keeps the old boy gameplayers on their mettle.
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Alan@25
You assume a lot how do you know I don’t work there ? You still haven’t explained the Verita report which said the hospital management do not communicate well with staff. Members of staff are afraid to go to superiors with complaints about shoddy work of others,just for starters.
Lets also not forget and no one was held to account for the loss of one of our own, even though two red flags had been raised. A person in the street would not get away with that.
You have a bad attitude Alan, sort of fits in with managers that have to be more accountable and actually start to earn their over inflated pay packets.
Davey.
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A lot of people dislike Stuart Syvret but they dislike Terry le Sueur, Phillip Ozouf et al even more.
Returning Stuart Syvret will annnoy them no end so a vote for Stuart it is and I reckon he will win by a good margin.
Apart from that Geoff Southern will do quite well, Patrick Ryan, Gerard Baudains and Francis Le Gresley will trail them in and the rest will come nowhere.
Turn out under 20%, more people will be watching the footie than will bother to vote!
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I am disgusted at the total lack of interest shown by the alleged supporters of the candidates wearing rosettes outside the polling station. No wonder no-one turns out to vote – clearly these “supporters” didn’t want to be there either!! Not a smile or a word of welcome for those turning up to (potentially) vote for their candidates – THEIR candidates that they are there to promote and gain extra votes for!!! 0 out of 10 for effort “supporters”!!!
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Well Pip, looks like your record of being unable to predict anything is intact.
Syvret well beaten, Southern thoroughly rejected. Moderate, sensible policies win out in favour of class war and rabble rousing.
Well done, middle Jersey!
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I find the result quite depressing.
All of the candidates that have been a member of the States were rejected in favour of yet another newbie.
Year by year the States is beginning to look less like a legislative assembly and more like a bizarre version of the Big Brother house.
Pip Ozouf was summoned to the diary room today to tell us about tax rises he cannot implement!
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32 – Never mind, Pip – praps Patrick Ryan or Gerard Baudains will cheer you up by trying again somewhere! If they do, don’t forget to help us all by making your prediction of the result here.
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‘Well Pip, looks like your record of being unable to predict anything is intact.’
I predicted the top five but in the wrong order, turn out is around the 25% mark.
, hardly a ringing endorsement of anything, is it?
The four candidates I predicted as coming nowhere polled tiny numbers of votes
Stuart Syvret and Geoff Southern are 2nd and 5th respectively with good votes in St Helier.
Geoff Southern will be returned as a deputy in 2011 and Stuart Syvret as well if he cares to stand.
I said it would be a defeat for democracy and the States and it is, around 12% of the total electorate voted for the victorious candidate who has never sat in the house of despond
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That’s OK, Jerry.
I like Francis le Gresley.
On the basis of his manifesto he will not vote for Phillip Ozouf’s expenditure cuts or his tax increases either.
He does not support the status quo or reform of the house.
He does support motherhood and apple pie though so he is looking like another good fudge and muddle member who stands for nothing apart from himself!
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35.Pip
Actually FLeG did want tax increases. This was one point which left a lot of voters on the fence until the last moment. I think he would have had an even bigger majority of it were not for his expectance that taxes will rise.
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