‘Don’t rush into change’
Wednesday 10th June 2009, 1:00PM BST.
CHIEF Minister Lyndon Trott does not want the island to rush into changing the way it is governed.
He said it would be better to wait for an informed debate before discussing executive government.
Deputy Trott (pictured) was responding to a letter from more than 20 deputies, who are deeply opposed to any move towards such a system.
‘I am encouraged because this letter signals a clear interest in the way in which the States functions,’ he said.
‘Passion and strong views about how any government serves the community must be a healthy sign of democracy.’
He said he had been following the comments about executive government and these had helped to highlight the issues the system could face.
‘The signatories accept that what we have is far from perfect and there is indeed room for improvement. What I believe we should not do at this point is rush off and find solutions.’
He said any debate should be informed by the review of corporate governance commissioned by the Public Accounts Committee.
He also believes any debate should reflect anything that is revealed from the fundamental spending review and the discussions about the strategic plan and capital prioritisation.
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I dare say, not surprising he doesn’t want a change, he’s like Brown today; he too wants to close the gate now the horse has bolted.-
But it is not for him to say or to wish; but the Guernsey people. It’s our Island, and we have the right to choose: so far the CM hasn’t pleased many of the Guernsey people;
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does any one reading this actually trust in this man any more, Why is it that if this was any normal person working for company in the spot light would have been fired on the spot for the thing he has done yet gave a amount of power he has free rain over how we portray the islands, One man can cut the ropes the sink us all but it only takes one to hold them together, Step up to the mark governor get him out
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Not sure about this sentence: “Passion and strong views about how any government serves the community must be a healthy sign of democracy.”
So Deputy Trott believes that by riling all his colleagues with his gung-ho attitude he is encouraging ‘healthy signs of democracy’ where once there were none?
Change the system. Our vote means nothing. The candidates don’t stand for anything. There are no indications on how they will vote in States debates. They certainly aren’t speaking for me.
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dear lyndon,
please resign, take mass burn flouquet with you, i and many others couldn’t care less what you think, you are not the prime minister.todays press has the terrible section written by the editor on the opinion page sucking up again to trotty,’the chief minister’s response a couple of days later also makes clear wht the official position is:’ no it dosen’t mr digard,it makes his position clear, we do not have a prime minister! the reason people are so concerned about having executive government and fewer states members is the calibre of some of the people in the states, a few votes in a small parish, a few phone calls and some promises to those that can be swayed by slick talk and hey presto
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The answer before you look at an executive system is island wide voting, so that every voting member of the public across the island has a say in who sits in the States to represent them.
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Yes Dep Jones, also a preferential vote for CM/DCM. I would even go so far that CM/DCM candidates should be chosen from the most popular returned (if they wish to stand). This would prevent the more unpopular candidates from assuming positions of power and making the electorate feel cheated. But I entirely agree that the voting system needs changing before any transition of power to fewer people.
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Arnald
The problem with that is that the most popular politician in the public eyes may not be the most competent when it came to arguing our international profile or at chairing the PC or even have a real understanding of some of the more complex issues that the CM has to deal with on a daily basis, the attacks on us from the outside are relentless and you do need someone who is bold and ornery enough when it is required to fight our corner.
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Dave Jones
I understand the need for having a good external relations spokesperson. The whole point would be to educate the electorate on the various skills a candidate has. It may well be that a candidate has to declare whether or not they want to be able to stand for CM/DCM selection. The ballot would then be split into preferential votes for deputies on one list, as now, and one vote for a potential CM/DCM on another. The shortlist would then be voted on in the States by elected Deputies, as now.
Whatever happens there has to be a corrolation between popularity (based on a true understanding of what candidates have to offer rather than the vague ‘duty to the island’ also the candidate must put forward where best in government they would stand and why – focussed ability) and responsibility to the electorate.
We really must get away from the days of voting for the friend of the family, or the parish ‘face’ and get to grips with the importance of having a competent House.
The other point in your post is the belief in Guernsey being ‘attacked’. We are not being ‘attacked’, the financial system, regulations and ‘code of conduct’ are being criticised, not the Island itself. Guernsey only plays by the rules, better than most I will agree, but that doesn’t mean to say that the rules are ‘fair’. We are not a victim. We have done very well under an ideology of laissez faire, the results of which become more apparent everyday. It is only correct that the people suffering the most from the laissez faire of the financial industry think about ways they will not be as compromised. Many people see the roles as reversed, that our type of jurisdiction is ‘attacking’ fundamental parameters within their jurisdictions.
This is why our defence must not be centred on ‘we’re doing nothing wrong’, as the UK MPs with their expenses, because as with those MPs, that line of argument looks pompous and disingenuous.
I would call for tact rather than bullishness.
Thanks
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i wholeheartedly aagree that the voting system needs to change before the system of government does, it has to be island wide in some form and we do need a say in who is cm and dcm, the depth of feeling regarding the present two shows that people want a say and then we won’t feel cheated. and dave jones says that the popular people may not be the best for the roles but that is foir the people to decide, not the states after the election. if the people choose poor candidates then so be it but at least they woulkd have been chosen.
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Why does Guernsey think it has a democratic government? Have I blinked and missed something?
I agree 100% with Arnald when he writes
We really must get away from the days of voting for the friend of the family, or the parish ‘face’ and get to grips with the importance of having a competent House.
Did anyone watch the Martin Clunes programme on islands in British waters? He spent his time on Guernsey with two millionaires. Did we see much else? No.
Then Clunes went to the Isle of Man which shares identical status with Guernsey and oh what a difference. He met real people and a Prime Minister who works in his shop every Saturday so he can talk to the people of the island because he is interested in what they think.
Time for Guernsey to leave the days of the barons and the serfs behind. Will Lyndon Trott think about taking a Saturday job in the Co-op so that he can talk to the ‘ordinary’ people of Guernsey? There’s the challenge Mr Trott. Find out what your people really think.
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