This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mann

SIX new faces were voted onto the Policy Council yesterday. Only deputies Dave Jones at Housing and Geoff Mahy at Home return to the posts they held at the end of the last term.

Just two others with ministerial experience take a seat on the council: former Culture and Leisure minister Peter Sirett steps up to Environment while one-time Environment minister Bernard Flouquet becomes Public Services minister.

And the latter was again given the deputy chief minister’s job, something he held until losing his council seat in the wake of the PEH clinical block row.  But it was a bad day for his successor at Environment, Deputy David De Lisle, who lost to Deputy Sirett by just one vote.

He then tried for Education, but was heavily defeated by Carol Steere.

Former Social Security minister Mary Lowe lost out for the second time in trying to regain the job. The House strongly supported Deputy Mark Dorey instead.

Deputy Hunter Adam was unopposed for the Health Department, as was Deputy Charles Parkinson for Treasury.

In the end, Chief Minister Lyndon Trott was successful with eight of his 10 nominations for the Policy Council, matching the record of his two predecessors.

In the first contest of the day his nominee, Jack Honeybill, lost to Carla McNulty Bauer for Commerce and Employment as the House voted for continuity – she has been deputy minister for the last four years.

And his pick for Culture and Leisure, Leon Gallienne, was easily beaten by Deputy Mike O’Hara in a three-way fight also involving Deputy John Gollop.

Deputies Gollop and Gallienne both later picked up committee chairman roles.

‘I think it’s going to work very well,’ said Deputy Trott.

‘I had worked very closely for four years with Deputy Honeybill, who is an extremely competent individual, but I know Deputy McNulty Bauer with her experience as deputy minister at Commerce and Employment will be a strong member of the team.

‘As far as Culture and Leisure was concerned, there was no doubt in my mind that Deputy Gallienne was ready to step up and I wasn’t surprised that he was returned to chairman of Public Accounts where he has done an outstanding job.’

He said that the difference between the class of 2008 and 2004 was a wealth of highly qualified and professional experience as opposed to political experience.

‘The modern political world is increasingly complex, particularly for an island whose primary industry is financial services. It’s therefore essential members are able to understand and respond appropriately with policy decisions.’