TREASURY minister Charles Parkinson intends to quit the States at the end of this term for ‘personal and political reasons’, he told the Guernsey Press yesterday.
At the end of last week his department’s plan to borrow £175m. externally to help fund a series of capital projects was soundly beaten as the Assembly instead accepted an amendment led by Deputy Matt Fallaize.
During that debate, Deputy Parkinson said that if the amendment went through, he would not like to be the Treasury minister standing in the Assembly in four years’ time presenting the next capital list.
When asked whether he did in fact intend to be doing just that he said no, although did not explicitly blame the result of the debate.
‘I probably won’t stand again,’ said Deputy Parkinson (pictured). ‘It’s a mixture of personal and political reasons, I guess. I would have been in the States eight years.
‘Hopefully, I would have made a worthwhile contribution at Treasury – obviously there will remain much more to do, but I may need a change of scene.’
The department has to re-examine the timings of the capital projects given the success of the amendment, which relies mostly on using internal funds and stretching the projects over a longer period.
‘One or more of the major projects will be delayed, I suspect,’ said Deputy Parkinson.
‘Although this is for the States to decide, the airport runway and solid waste strategy will absorb all cash through to the end of 2010.’
If those two projects did get priority – and the solid waste plant States report has already been published – work could not begin on redeveloping Les Beaucamps High School until 2011.
Deputy Parkinson has also warned that compared with his department’s schedule, this could all cost up to £3m. more because of the effects of inflation brought about by the delay.
Treasury should come back with a fresh report outlining the timings in the next two to three months.
Article posted on 29th June, 2009 - 2.30pm
11 Article Comments
Before any of you consider Deputy Parkinson is better to quit while he is ahead, you need to consider what he inhereted.
Fact – States had over £800m in 2000 for capital.
When the then Treasurer, Dave Clark resigned in 2007 it was down to a bag of salted peanuts and some allsorts.
Poor old Parky – good luck; wise to not continue if you ask me, as Dep Fallaizes proposal looks good on paper, but will be a dire cock-up down the road, just watch…..
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a great shame. he is the one politician I was beginning to respect.
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Well I can take it; yet I firmly believe his departing the States is a case of sour grapes; or if you so wish like a small child, not getting his own way.
“I don’t want to play in your yard I don’t love you any more—”
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CP’s announcement is both disappointing and inopportune. However, the job of a minister in our government is not to be just an excellent manager and/or administrator. His departure may be a chance for someone with political as well as professional skills to prepare themselves for office.
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I agree with you Eric. Darren. Why the hell should we borrow millions, because Giba and the chamber say so. Look at the chambers u turn on the Leals project…Giba may try and influence elections and the sunday phoneins but they can’t reach all of our Deputies.
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Look back over the years at most of are politicians,there are two types.
One lot go into the job to get something for themselves then leave.
The others cant get their own way,and leave.
CP departure was on the cards one way or another.
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Whatever one thinks of Deputy Parkinson personally or as a Minister his departure from the States leaves yet another vacuum to be filled i.e a deputy with significant experience of the real world outside the public sector.
The Treasury Minister may have misjudged the politics around the recent capital expenditure debate but he has forgotten more about business and finance than Matt Fallaize will ever know (why anyone should trust someone with such an important proposal with zero experience of finance & business beggars belief).
The States decision on the capex programme is both naive and short sighted. Those who designed and voted for the “internal borrowing” proposal seem to believe they can spend all they want like kids in a sweet shop without actually having to pay for it.
Financially, the decision made by the States makes little or no sense and will inevitably result in either taxes being raised and/or the States having to borrow to finance current expenditure at some point in the future. And borrowing to finance a current deficit is much worse than for capex.
Business people are put off standing for the States principally because its very difficult to get anything done and the responsibility of actually being ina position of alleged authority to take decisions i.e a Minister is not actually there. Without some form of executive government the States will not attract the better quality people it needs. If you have an aversion to the finance industry have you ever asked yourself why people like Derek Coates or the Perkinss don’t stand and why Stuart Falla left so quickly ?
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Mark
Concensus politics works by batting ideas around. Fallaize’s initiative followed all the rules of good politics. Parkinson did not.
What use a business brain when it can’t communicate properly (see Gordon Brown)?
Also, if we have too many ‘businessmen’ in the States, then policy will be driven by how to make businesses more profitable. That is not good governance (see UK – The MPs second jobs, and lined up jobs post politics ensures that no ‘hard’ decisions are ever made against those sectors – it’s basically fraud).
The other problem is that ‘businessmen’ do only think short term. That is why they leave so quickly when they don’t get their way. Proves they’re not in it for the right reasons. Commitment to serve the public is not rewarded in the same way as in the business world. It is a slow process of recognition, respect and integrity.
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Poor Parky Shame that the Landsbanki Guernsey debacle happened during his watch. Wasn’t his fault – and whereas initally Trott referred disgruntled savers to the Treasury, Parky was later sidelined completely and Trott took over all matters to do with LG in an effort to cover up a clear regulatory failure. Poor Parky. Hard luck, mate. Hard luck that it happened on your watch and that Trott wouldn’t let you do your job.
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Deputy Parkinson’s shortcoming was an inability or, more likely, an unwillingness to play the political lobbying game. Deputy Fallaize and his cohorts were far more competent at lobbying and got their desired outcome as a result. Does that make Deputy Parkinson a poor politician ? Sadly, yes, because to get anywhere in the States of Deliberation one simply has to play that game whether one likes it or not. That’s a sad indictment of the way our States works. Those with the stomach for playing political games and scratching each other’s backs will do well, whereas those simply relying on their superior brains and professional/business experience will come up short. That’s the main reason why experienced businessmen are put off from standing for the States and I’m afraid that is unlikely to change.
Too many competent and respected businessmen are finding that they cannot cope with the political nonsense which being a Deputy or Minister in the States of Guernsey entails. They can deal with any political shenanigans in the corporate world but are unable to cope with it in the States. There are far too many “games within games” being played and there is far too much backscratching going on for experiences businessmen to contend with. These people are used to running profitable businesses where decisions are made for sound commercial reasons and, once decisions are made, they are adhered to instead of being reconsidered and reversed continously by Deputies who frankly haven’t got a clue about many of the things that they are voting on. They also have to put up with unaccountable senior civil servants who far more influence than many people realise.
Sadly, there is little sign that things will change for the next 10-20 years at least. We won’t find leaders and we won’t find people prepared to make painful but necessary decisions because they just don’t have the right experience. Getting out of the business world to serve the island has never been less appealing than it looks today.
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David
Well worth waiting for this insightful post.
Sadly, it is all too true.
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