FEW can have hoped that when the States of Guernsey made the greatest changes to its make-up since the Second World War it would get it spot on at the first attempt.
Indeed, there are many who would argue that the perfect governmental system is yet to be invented and a Goldilocks’ ‘just right’ moment is something to aspire to, not hope for.
At the end of this government’s ‘first four years’ thoughts among the island’s power brokers are turning to what could be improved.
Several politicians and business leaders at the Institute of Directors seminar last week called for some ‘gentle tinkering’.
Most had one objective in mind: bringing rogue ministers into line.
The minister in mind was David De Lisle, head of Environment.
The department is an organisational shambles, they say, which is damaging the island with slow deliberations and overly ‘green’ attitudes to development. The minister himself fiddles with plastic bags and speed limits while businesses and householders burn with anger at the delays.
Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of that view, it is intriguing to consider how that tinkering might manifest itself.
If the answer is not full cabinet government and the chief minister is simply to be given the power to sack out-of-line ministers, will that be his (or her) unilateral decision or one that must be supported by the House?
The latter option raises the worrying spectre of the States disagreeing with the chief minister and keeping the rogue in his or her job. The former smacks of being undemocratic.
And if the chief succeeds, will it always bring the department into line? After all, a minister is only one-fifth of its voting power. Cutting off the head will not always kill the beast.
Should ministers have the power then to sack members? Or at least propose it to the House?
Where does change end?
FEW can have hoped that when the States of Guernsey made the greatest changes to its make-up since the Second World War it would get it spot on at the first attempt.
Indeed, there are many who would argue that the perfect governmental system is yet to be invented and a Goldilocks’ ‘just right’ moment is something to aspire to, not hope for.
At the end of this government’s ‘first four years’ thoughts among the island’s power brokers are turning to what could be improved.
Several politicians and business leaders at the Institute of Directors seminar last week called for some ‘gentle tinkering’.
Most had one objective in mind: bringing rogue ministers into line.
The minister in mind was David De Lisle, head of Environment.
The department is an organisational shambles, they say, which is damaging the island with slow deliberations and overly ‘green’ attitudes to development. The minister himself fiddles with plastic bags and speed limits while businesses and householders burn with anger at the delays.
Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of that view, it is intriguing to consider how that tinkering might manifest itself.
If the answer is not full cabinet government and the chief minister is simply to be given the power to sack out-of-line ministers, will that be his (or her) unilateral decision or one that must be supported by the House?
The latter option raises the worrying spectre of the States disagreeing with the chief minister and keeping the rogue in his or her job. The former smacks of being undemocratic.
And if the chief succeeds, will it always bring the department into line? After all, a minister is only one-fifth of its voting power. Cutting off the head will not always kill the beast.
Should ministers have the power then to sack members? Or at least propose it to the House?
Tinkering all too easily becomes more.
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