This Is Guernsey

THE 19 new members who take their seats in the States tomorrow must be gasping in open-mouthed astonishment at the behaviour of some of their more experienced colleagues.

Without a foot being set in the chamber, with no contentious issue under discussion and under no great critical pressure from either the public or the media, deputies have this week been compared to wild dogs willing to tear each other from limb to limb for the piece of meat that is the chief ministership of this Bailiwick.

Political language and restraint has long been discarded, to be replaced by bitter vitriol and spitting personal invective.

It is an embarrassment not only for the more reasoned members of the new House but to everyone in the island. As one former chief minister puts it: ‘For heaven’s sake, Class of 2008, demonstrate some dignity.’

That a political power struggle should descend so quickly to the level of street fighting demonstrates once again that there are deputies for whom their own role in government is more important than good governance itself.

If the new members of the States and those returning colleagues with sense have one mission in the next four years it is to reverse that trend, to put the island first on all occasions.

The flashpoint for this dispute has been a proposed hustings meeting for candidates, to give new members in particular more time to assess their potential leader.

In essence it seems a good idea: the rapid fire presentation of six candidates tomorrow morning will leave little genuine opportunity to present anything beyond a one-dimensional impression.

Where the idea stumbled was in its timing. It could only work if generated from a decision by the House as a whole. That way a suitable date could be selected months in advance and civil servants would be left to do the organising.

That is something the House Committee might consider for future elections.

In the meantime islanders are left imploring the warring factions to put down their weapons, pick up a dove’s feather and remember they represent all of us, not just themselves.