NEARLY 300 people packed into La Houguette School yesterday evening as the West district hosted the first election hustings. Eleven candidates answered questions from the floor on a variety of subjects at the meeting, chaired by former Advisory and Finance Committee president Peter Morgan.
It began with former Forest deputy Francis Paul asking what were the candidates’ views on voluntary euthanasia.
Deputy Ann Robilliard said she would probably be in favour but very tight restrictions would need to be in place.
Fellow deputy Peter Sirett said he would need to see the independent report commissioned by the States. He preferred it to be called death with dignity because euthanasia gave the impression of people being made to die whether they wanted to or not.
Deputy Martin Ozanne said he was a member of the working party looking into the matter.
‘There’s nothing in the report that would make me want to change the law as it stands but there are ways of improving things,’ he said.
Introducing voluntary euthanasia would be the start of a ’slippery slope’.
Geoff Chapman asked why social security contributions had a maximum earnings ceiling of £30,000 per year. Why did contributions not rise in relation to pay for those who earned more?
Shane Langlois said the combining of social security contributions and income tax was one of the key points raised in his manifesto.
Deputy Mike Best said the money raised should be neutral to the overall economy and a situation should not be created where it was in the best interest of some people not to work.
Douzenier David Grut said this could be a way of recouping some of the lost revenue when corporate tax was abolished in 2008. There would still be a large shortfall, however.
Deputy Ozanne said it was not just the employee but the employer who paid contributions and scrapping the ceiling level would be inflationary.
Joan Ozanne wanted to know if the candidates would support building a facility for the visual arts.
Deputy Claire Le Pelley said she had heard of eight people who wanted to head the new Culture and Leisure Department and each was strongly linked to sport.
‘It’s going to be a tough fight for the arts,’ she said.
Deputy Sirett said they could benefit from the setting up of an arts commission, in a similar way to what sport had done.
Al Brouard said arts needed to raise their profile if they wanted to have ‘a slice of the cake’. Money would be better spent on health and education.
David de Lisle said the arts helped to form the island’s identity.
Mick Bourgaize said the States could make better use of disused properties, of which Fort Richmond was a prime example.
John Curran asked how candidates would prioritise spending in terms of health care.
Shane Langlois said dental charges gave him great cause for concern.
It was a matter of providing the most services that would be used by the most people, according to Deputy Le Pelley.
Deputy Robilliard said every single area was important but there was only so much money to go around.
Geriatric care was a priority to Deputy Sirett, who said a ‘demographic time bomb was looming’.
Douzenier Sue Ephgrave said the shortening of waiting times could be improved because this caused added stress to the patient.
‘It’s not as bad here as it is in the UK but it could be better,’ she said.
David de Lisle said it was a question of providing high standards and ‘availability across the board’.
Deputy Best said providing better care in the community could ease the burden on the taxpayer by relieving the need for some people to be institutionalised.
Caroline Bowker asked the candidates how they would improve the lives of islanders without spending any money.
Deputy Robilliard said there was wealth of free entertainment in Guernsey and it was nice to just sit on a sea wall and watch the world go by.
Mick Bourgaize said people should ‘get on your bikes more often, not listen to the States, ignore your bank manager and get down to The Ritz [St Saviour’s Tavern] more often’.
Al Brouard said people should show more courtesy to each other when driving.
Douzenier Grut said people should take up healthier pastimes such as walking, swimming and cycling.
Kenny Brouard said the situation with the Eyebrow House and the former prison had ‘got up his nose’ and he wanted to know what candidates would do for the island’s heritage.
Shane Langlois said the house was a disgrace but some of the other travesties had involved the States, which got away with extraordinary things.
Deputy Le Pelley [Heritage Committee president] said the fight to save the former prison had taken up four years of her life and she had been heavily criticised for going on the Eyebrow House protest march.
Most of the candidates, including Deputy Robilliard, said a new Island Development Committee planning law was desperately needed. More buildings needed to be listed, she said, but this would cost money and not enough money was given over to heritage.
Douzenier de Lisle said people should not hide behind legislation as an excuse and States members had made some of the greatest mistakes.
Clive Maides asked if candidates felt the island was getting value for money from the civil service.
Most generally thought it was.
Douzenier Grut said that the large number of States committees had resulted in a territorial mentality among politicians and he thought streamlining was necessary.
Deputy Best thought that the lesser tiers of government could be passed on to the douzaines.
Other questions related to the Foulon Cemetery and what candidates would hope to do in each of the four parishes they would be serving if elected.
Article posted on 7th April, 2004 - 12.00am
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