hustings2
Speech given at the election hustings held at First Tower School on Monday 3rd December, 2001, with Senator Terry Le Sueur in the Chair
I don't have a track record as Constable, but I do have a track record as a hard working Parish Deputy who topped the poll at the last election. Also as President of the Public Services Committee.
After a bumpy take off Public Services have had a very successful term. I don't take the credit for that, it's a good team which includes the present Constable, but effective teamwork and effective leadership have meant we've stood up to the opposition to our plans to put the buses out to tender; we stood up to States members who wanted more of the same from Jersey Bus, who wanted no change, who said no one would be interested in running buses in Jersey. They were wrong: 30 were interested, and 13 have made the short list.
We've put together a waste strategy for the Island for the next 25 years. We consulted the St Helier residents first at First Tower, because it's on their doorstep. People presenting incinerator schemes are usually lynched by local people. But the Chief officer presenting the plans was clapped by the large audience - and I don't mean the slow handclap ratepayers give at rates assemblies - they applauded Public Services for consulting them, for listening, and lo and behold, the next day the officer tells me that in response to the concerns of parishioners about the new incinerator being closer to their homes, he's found a site which will move it further away than it is at present.
So why do I want to be constable when I could stay on as President of Public Services with the ribbon cutting for a new bus service to look forward to, the launch of the residents parking trial after Christmas, etc. Why do I want to be the youngest constable in I don't know how many years? Why do I want to sit with the constables, some of whom enjoy nothing more than a nap after lunch.
I was asked to do this job. I was asked by the same people who asked the incumbent to stand last time. I was asked by parish staff. I was asked by ratepayers …
(quotes from emails received)
I want to take this Parish into the 21st century, but that doesn't mean leaving anyone behind in the 20th. The workforce may be nervous about change, but if change means that the public understand better the services that are being provided, how much they cost, and who pays for what in St Helier - and if the public can be confident services are being provided in the most efficient way, they will support the workforce. Surely staff in any organisation want to be understood by the people they serve, because when people know the service is being provided efficiently they will respect the staff more.
As Constable, I won't want a confrontational relationship with anyone - not with the States, not with the ratepayers, not with parish staff. Much more can be achieved by sitting down together, showing the cards we hold, finding out the best way forward. It's not rocket science, it's negotiation.
For nine long years the present parish administration has talked about getting the States to pay rates, putting Westmount works to good use, and so on. For the Constable to tell us this time round that he will make the States pay simply doesn't ring true.
He's had nine years to make the States pay. The only way that these thorny issues can be resolved is for the Parish to enter into a dialogue with the States committees involved - sabre rattling is not the way to achieve progress; you have to be able to put everything on the table; you have to be able to listen well and to state your case well; together we must find out what services are provided, how much they cost, who benefits from them, whether they could be provided more efficiently, and who must pay for them.
Clutching your responsibilities to your chest and refusing to share information, preserving the culture of secrecy that pervades this administration, and the blame culture - it's not the Parish's fault, it's the States' fault; it's the Town Deputies fault, it's the ratepayers' fault - this won't get us anywhere. All that will happen is that the ratepayers will rise up again in August 2002 and refuse to pay the rate proposed by the Parish.
I ask you as electors and ratepayers, do you want three more years of this? Do you want business as usual? Or do you want change?
Return to top