AMONG the less-heralded changes to the island’s government over the past decade are the rise of the internet and, more specifically, the use of email as a means of rapid correspondence.

Whereas States members of the past would find mass communication a slow, expensive and time-consuming task involving umpteen telephone calls, letters and meetings, those in this technological age have, at the press of a button, access to all of their colleagues.

The importance of this should not be underestimated, for it presents an opportunity for bottom-up government that simply did not exist before. Deputies with a beef – the latest is the ‘State of the States’ speech – can sound out their fellows in a matter of minutes.

In a sense it is the epitome of good democracy: a mini-referendum is available on every issue.

At the same time it does have the potential to do harm. A series of personal email attacks on the former chief minister circulated before the April election descended into vitriol and childishness.

And because it is so easy, some deputies have already complained of drowning under a deluge of emails, sent out with little thought for who is on the receiving end. It is a feeling with which most office workers will identify.

But if it is accepted that better communication and open government are, on the whole, a good thing, it is hard to understand the justification behind the attacks on the chief minister’s ‘state of the nation’ address.

Opponents seem to base their opposition on one factor: the CM has no right to do it. To them, it smacks of executive government.

Yet that fails to damn the speech as a poor idea in itself, only that it is bending the rules.

For islanders would be better informed on where the chief minister and the Policy Council want to take the Bailiwick in the next 12 months – and that can only be a good thing.

If there are elements within that plan with which deputies disagree, they can object loudly, and lobby and vote accordingly.

But if Deputy Trott and the Policy Council have no right to light the way ahead, then we all live in darkness.