Politicians split over ‘duplication’

By Nigel Baudains

FORMING a group to review population and immigration policy would duplicate the work of another States-approved body, according to one politician. But Deputy Chief Minister Stuart Falla disagrees.

Deputy Jean Pritchard said the role of the Labour Utilisation Strategy Group would be no different from that of the Demographics Policy Group.

‘We only signed the DPG

off with the Government Business Plan in September and here we are in November setting up another group,’ she said.

‘Why do we need to have two overlapping groups when we are trying to cut down on bureaucracy?’

It emerged this week that the Policy Council is to consider forming an LUSG to review the island’s population and immigration policy. This follows talks between Deputy Falla, Housing minister Dave Jones and his chief officer, Stephen Langford.

‘Demographics, population and labour are things we agreed that the DPG should do, so what is so different?’ said Deputy Pritchard.

‘Everything needs staff.’

But Deputy Falla said the groups would have different roles.

‘The demographics group is looking at how to monitor and measure the size of the population,’ he said.

‘The labour group is about where those people of working age are best used within the community and they are two different things.

‘No doubt, at the edges, there will be some crossover and therefore communication is essential.

‘This ‘the LUSG’ is a short, sharp look at how labour is used on the island.

‘The demographics group will probably be there for years monitoring population - they are different tasks.’