From Stanley Perkins, Professor Emeritus.
IT was with deep regret but interest that I read in the Jersey Weekly Post, Thursda, 13 May, of the death of Sir Cecil Clothier who had contributed such great public service to the Island with his ‘Review of the Machinery of Government in Jersey’, 1999 – 2001.

It is regrettable that ten years later the States of Jersey has only chosen to implement some of his recommendations. As noted in the Jersey Weekly Post, Thursday 20 May, under ‘Jersey’s first general election’, it states that half of the 12 senators, who enjoy six years in office, were being elected on one day. The other six senators would face the electorate three years later.

Such a process is contrary to Sir Clothier’s recommendations in his ‘Summary of Principal Findings and Recommendations’, December 2000, where he writes on page five: ‘The panel received no convincing evidence that there is a significant difference between the nature and content of the senators’ role in the States and that of the Deputies.’

He also recommended that: ‘An Electoral Commission should be set up to reassign the vacant seats of the Senators among the parishes.’ Why has the States not implemented these recommendations?

How does a Senator report back to an all Island electorate? Does he/she hold meetings in all 12 Parishes periodically to inform and consult with the electorate?

I doubt it. It is much easier for a Deputy, who represents a much smaller electorate, to hold such public information and consultation meetings occasionally with his/her electorate.

One recommendation which Sir Clothier’s report lacks is that of elected leadership. The current process does not allow for direct democracy. Instead of the public electing the leader it is left to the elected member of the States to do so. That is not direct democracy.

The way to solve the problem is to have the electorate vote on the position of Chief Minister, as is done with the president of a country or through elected parties when the electorate is aware of the party’s policies and platform and the party leader has been elected by the party members.

Under the present system of governance in Jersey, individual members who make commitments at election time have no way of implementing them if they cannot get sufficient support from other members in the States.

On the other hand, members of a party elected and committed to known policies and platform can implement such commitments if elected in sufficient numbers, and when led by a party leader who is elected directly by voters.
The University of British Columbia.