WITH the general election out of the way, today’s attention inevitably turns to two other topics: who will be the island’s third chief minister and who will he seek to have in the Policy Council team?
The contest for the top job has developed into a two-horse race between Treasury minister Lyndon Trott and former Environment minister Bernard Flouquet backed, respectively, by Home minister Geoff Mahy - thus ruling himself out as a compromise candidate - and zero-10 critic Charles Parkinson, who has also declined to enter the running. There may be a temptation to see the vote for them next month as the continuation of a divide in the House on economic and social issues, the so-called ‘restraint’ versus ‘tax and spend’ approach to managing the island’s fiscal strategy.
However, the decision is even more fundamental than that: who is best suited to lead the States through another four or eight years of machinery of government reform? The Bailiwick has some unprecedented problems to resolve - its autonomy and tax regime, public finances and capital expenditure, waste and sewage disposal, the conflicts of the environment and development needs and the linked population versus economic growth - but the current and allegedly improved system of government is not fit for purpose.
That conclusion comes from a respected consultant asked by the States to look into the adequacy of the island’s planning service.
But before even considering that, the problems of coordination - making government joined up - were so severe that he referred back to the Harwood report and says the problems highlighted then still exist. The absence of some kind of strong ministerial system and members who represent the island and not just the parish ‘is inimicable to good and efficient decision-making’, he says.
The report is a devastating critique of the inadequacy of government system and process and, as this newspaper has highlighted over the past four years, explains why things have not got better.
The new House has to decide whether to ignore the report or react to it and that will take time and thought.
In the meantime, Guernsey needs a new chief minister with the ability to deliver unpalatable but necessary policies - despite the deficiencies of the system.
Wanted: the right chief minister
WITH the general election out of the way, today’s attention inevitably turns to two other topics: who will be the island’s third chief minister and who will he seek to have in the Policy Council team?
The contest for the top job has developed into a two-horse race between Treasury minister Lyndon Trott and former Environment minister Bernard Flouquet backed, respectively, by Home minister Geoff Mahy - thus ruling himself out as a compromise candidate - and zero-10 critic Charles Parkinson, who has also declined to enter the running. There may be a temptation to see the vote for them next month as the continuation of a divide in the House on economic and social issues, the so-called ‘restraint’ versus ‘tax and spend’ approach to managing the island’s fiscal strategy.
However, the decision is even more fundamental than that: who is best suited to lead the States through another four or eight years of machinery of government reform? The Bailiwick has some unprecedented problems to resolve - its autonomy and tax regime, public finances and capital expenditure, waste and sewage disposal, the conflicts of the environment and development needs and the linked population versus economic growth - but the current and allegedly improved system of government is not fit for purpose.
That conclusion comes from a respected consultant asked by the States to look into the adequacy of the island’s planning service.
But before even considering that, the problems of coordination - making government joined up - were so severe that he referred back to the Harwood report and says the problems highlighted then still exist. The absence of some kind of strong ministerial system and members who represent the island and not just the parish ‘is inimicable to good and efficient decision-making’, he says.
The report is a devastating critique of the inadequacy of government system and process and, as this newspaper has highlighted over the past four years, explains why things have not got better.
The new House has to decide whether to ignore the report or react to it and that will take time and thought.
In the meantime, Guernsey needs a new chief minister with the ability to deliver unpalatable but necessary policies - despite the deficiencies of the system.
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