A STATES decision to award cabinet-style authority to the Policy Council has ripped apart the island’s system of consensus government, a leading opponent of executive powers has claimed.
Deputy Matt Fallaize (pictured) placed an amendment seeking to change the wording of the Fundamental Spending Review report when the Assembly debated the issue last month.
He believed the report gave too much power to the Policy Council and he wanted responsibility for delivering Tribal Consulting’s recommendations – to save the island more than £70m. over five years – to remain with departments.
Deputies voted 23 to 19 against his amendment.
‘In June, 27 members signed a letter opposing cabinet-style government,’ he said yesterday. ‘Four months later, 10 of the 27 have voted to strip political boards of departments of their policy-making function and hand the Policy Council wide-ranging cabinet-style powers in all areas covered by the Fundamental Spending Review.
‘I find that disappointing and dispiriting. But that’s politics. I have to respect the democratic decision of the States and try to help make it work to the best of my ability.’
Deputy Fallaize remained convinced that it would be a huge mistake for the island to move towards cabinet government.
‘I still think the vast majority of local people would be appalled by cabinet government once they saw it in operation, but their voices have been quite successfully drowned out by a decade-long campaign against our current system of government by a few influential figures,’ he said.
‘The decision of the States has ripped apart many of the fundamental building blocks of our system of consensus government.
‘It hurts me to say it, but I cannot dispute that it is pointless to retain the symbolic edifice of consensus government while the Assembly votes to consign it to death by a thousand cuts. Surely that cannot be in Guernsey’s best interests.’
Five senior civil servants will form a Financial Transformation Executive and will be responsible, with the approval of Policy Council, for the day-to-day implementation of the savings recommended by Tribal’.
‘Key’ political decisions will still be debated by the States when the Policy Council decides that an issue is too emotive to be handled executively.
The true extent of the wide-ranging changes was revealed in the Guernsey Press yesterday.
‘The GP’s coverage has been proportionate and accurate,’ Deputy Fallaize said.
‘It was, indeed, a bloodless coup; a major step forward for those who want to see cabinet government in Guernsey.’
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Article posted on 10th November, 2009 - 1.00pm
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