‘Sort out the mess that the States is in’
Friday 2nd October 2009, 2:30PM BST.
ITV news anchor Alastair Stewart moderated yesterday evening’s Institute of Directors debate at Beau Sejour. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0850412)
GUERNSEY’S government must make tackling the findings of the Wales Audit Office report its number-one priority, business leaders decided last night.
Almost 500 people packed out Beau Sejour for the annual Institute of Directors debate, which discussed issues surrounding the issue ‘2020: Where will we be?’
A panel of experts answered questions about the economy, Guernsey’s working relationship with Jersey, social issues and government.
But it was the audience’s contributions that were most telling.
Renowned journalist Alastair Stewart moderated the debate and asked the audience to give its take on key issues.
These included whether they believed the island’s finance sector was under threat, which the vast majority did, and if dealing with the damning verdict on the way Guernsey is run should be the main focus of the States.
Two thirds said rectifying failings highlighted in the WAO report, which said the States did not meet any of the criteria that would ensure taxpayers were getting value for money, was the key factor in determining whether the island would be successful in 2020.
Chief Minister Lyndon Trott was in the audience and said the States needed to accept that what had served the island well in the past was no longer good enough to tackle what the future held.
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I should have known that the Press would pick on that as the headline. But to be honest, that was one of the least convincing straw polls of the night, not least because the form of the question was a little ambiguous (as admitted by Alastair Stewart himself).
The real concensus issues of the night were:
1. that there needs to be greater pan-Island co-operation where cost savings can be made or where we need to represent ourselves internationally.
2. that the finance industry needs to ensure that London, Brussels, etc see that we are a valuable contributor to their own economies. It was felt that where we engage properly, we become understood.
3. Following on from point 2, the room agreed that a presence in Brussels (combined with Jersey) would be invaluable but there also seemed to be an acceptance that the cost should be met by the finance industry and not the States (even though the whole island ultimately benefits)
4. There was an acknowledgement that the business community cannot criticise the States unless more people from the business community are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved in politics
5. The need for diversification of industry (for social, as much as economic reasons) and the need to help social issues in the island (of which housing was the most debated) was recognised.
It was an excellent, thought provoking evening and Alastair Stewart showed an incredible amount of perception and understanding of the island’s issues when dissecting the comments, challenging contributors and (most enjoyably) stopping the politicians taking over proceedings.
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At this meeting Jersey’s Treasury Minister Philip Ozouf said he “he had experienced both consensus and executive government and the latter was far more effective”.
Maybe that is the case for Ozouf who now holds a senior position in the machinery of executive government.
But would he care to explain the huge rises in bith social division and public discontent with local politics that have occurred in Jersey in tandem with the growth of executive government?
And is having 70% of islanders not using their vote on election day a measure of a great political system, Mr. Ozouf?
As a Jersey resident I would say one thing to the good people of Guernsey. When the turkeys vote for Christmas please don’t take the result at face value.
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Baz – a very similar thought occurred to me when he said that. The system may be better for him on the inside, but is it better for us?
I still struggle to see how an executive government can be democratic unless there is party politics. And these islands, and their assemblies, are too small for party politics in my view.
The debate last night did not go into the specifics of what better systems there may be, and I sensed a certain amount of reticence about adopting a fully executive system. Several contributors mentioned that but I sensed that the room was split on the issue.
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We Guerns are always prepared to listen to advice.
This group of, a Jersey Politician (oh well we can disregard him, I agree with Baz) and 3 non-Guernsey obviously do not understand what it was that attracted them to our island in the first place. Had their opinions been acted upon 20 years ago Guernsey would not be the hospitable place they have come to live in and now enjoy.
It is time the IoD understand that government and politics is not just about business – its about people and a community. Its about what is best for all. Surely we have some idiots in the States, but they were elected by the people. Certainly we could do with some more business brains in office – but the way the press treats those already in – no decent man will risk his reputation.
The media has to become more responsible before Guernsey’s government will improve.
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There’s one simple fact to ponder before taking any political advice given by Philip Ozouf.
At the 2002 election, prior to Jersey going down the route of executive/Ministerial government, Philip Ouzouff took 14,442 votes.
After 3 years of Jersey having engaged executive/Ministerial government, the 2008 election saw Ozouf’s public support plummet to 8,712. A shocking drop of almost 50%.
What does that suggest to you about the value of Philip Ozouf’s political wisdom and his trumpeting of the the success of executive government?
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It just shows you the little understanding many in the business community have about our system of government. Todays headline
First of all Ministers can’t change anything, that is a matter for the States as a whole and that is as it should be, also it is a little rich for the bankers to castigate the rest of us for their mess, I would like to remind the business community that it was the incompetence of the banks and their directors many of whom are IOD members that caused the global crisis in the first place, in fact we as an Island find ourselves having to face more and more external threats as a result of their complete lack of ability to run their own affairs, the result of that ineptitude has caused misery and suffering to millions of people and as a result the Government of Guernsey have been forced to react to this crisis, so it is a little disingenuous for the business community especially IOD members to attack the States of Guernsey because they believe that somehow we have not reacted swiftly enough.
I will not support the handing of power to ten people in a room with the rest of the states just turning up to nod our system is not perfect and we are working on it but it is a hell of a lot better than many of the elected dictatorships around the globe and I include Jersey in that comment.
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..’it’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to get things started on the Muppet Show tonight…!’
Why IS it that every time I hear about local ‘business leaders’ (ie. bankers who have single-handedly ruined not only our island, but also now, the world’s economy) and our ‘local government’ (ie. local business owners with personal interests highest on their agendas/wealthy imports with too much time on their hands and not a clue how the island works) giving us their opinions, I can hear the theme tune to the Muppet Show in my head…?
.
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Scarlett
I’d see the doctor about that one!!!
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How Ozouf has got the brass neck to come over here and claim that Jersey is better governed than Guernsey is beyond me. I am not one who thinks that our government, justice system and indeed media are perfect, but when compared to Jersey it really is no contest. Look at the whole issue of historic child abuse.
Corrupt civil servants, politicians and law officers have behaved despicably throughout, and the Jersey media’s coverage has been appallingly bad. Hundreds of victims have been treated abysmally, with only a token few people being prosecuted, whereas many more have been protected by the Jersey establishment.
I suggest Ozouf works on getting his own house in order before telling us what to do with ours. And who on earth invited him for crying out loud?
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Dave Jones Oct 3rd.
Totaly agree wiht you , could not have put it better.
Who said we have not got a political party.
We have the Look After Themselves Party, and sod the rest of you.
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‘Unhealthy tensions’ at watchdog
BBC Wales Online this day
“A review of the work of the Wales Audit Office has raised concerns over its structure and leadership”
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An independent report on the public spending watchdog found “tensions” between senior managers and issues of trust for staff…
“The review was carried out by an international panel who began examining the watchdog’s work in the spring.
It found staff were confused about the operation and cohesion of the organisation’s leadership team, which has led to unhealthy “tensions” between some senior managers…”
“A similar view was taken by an internal assessment by the audit office, which has a 280-strong workforce.
The review notes that the key issue “appears to be a lack of trust” , but that senior managers in the organisation already recognise these concerns.
It also describes internal “perceptions of nepotism” in terms of the allocation of specific staff to specific projects, including “so-called ‘cherry picking’ of staff”.
“Formal processes are sometimes circumvented by informal arrangements which meet the short term needs of individual partners (senior managers),” stated the review.
“This includes so-called ‘cherry picking’ of staff for projects and allocation of staff without the opportunity to express an interest in the work which contributes to perceptions of nepotism and a lack of transparency.”"
The report said a smaller, more coherent executive committee at the audit office could help address some of the issues, but only if its members work together at a senior level within the organisation”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8295620.stm
Seems a case of do what I say. not what I do”
Of dear, how sad, never mind!!!!
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Zero out of 10 then tut tut.
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Why do we not use local knowledge, to see how expensive and inefficient most of States Dept are.
Just look at all the overspends, that are not allowed to be investigated, because of legal matters arising.
How long can this be delayed, another 10 years or more?
Let the facts be known,so as we know what went wrong.
Then the similar mistakes will not be made, with future spending.
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Edguet
Two things, first of all the overspends on the Board of Administration, the main culprits in all of this occurred before the Machinery of Government changes in 2004, since the Policy Council has been in being and there have been several contracts since, there have been no overspends at all. It is true that some of the companies involved who believe they are owed money are fighting their cases through litigation through the courts or arbitration however that is a legal process not a government process and as we all know the legal process cannot or will not be rushed. We can keep going back over history if you like but it serves no real purpose if we are trying to design an improved more efficient future. We have already learnt from those mistakes and the whole process dealing with government contracts has changed radically since those bad old days. As to your blanket charge of how “expensive and inefficient most of States Dept are”. The recent reviews have identified several areas where high quality services are being delivered at very competitive rates when compared to many other government public services, where we fail, is on procurement and on duplication of services. We are also told that we provide far too many services and those services should be outsourced or cut altogether, along with a bunch of subsidies we support other services with. That of course is a debate we need to have but you also have to remember that the public sector has grown over the last three decades because of the constant demands by the public for more and more services, the States response in the past has been, “well we have the money so why not.?” All those extra services have to be staffed and the numbers grew, in that mix was the duplication issue and of course for years each department had its own procurement options. I can assure that will change, we are no longer awash with money and many of the recommendations in Tribal Helm are already in place and those important areas that aren’t are under discussion. However the one thing missing in all of this is the debate we need to have with the people of Guernsey on what they are prepared to give up, nobody has asked them yet or even whether they are prepared to pay more in taxes to keep what they have. All we have had so far is the hysterical, frenzied calls by the press and some of the business community to go to cabinet government, as if changing our system will automatically do away with the difficult conversation we have to have with the Guernsey public on the type of island they wish to live in.
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the chamber of commerce, giba, iod and any other business organizations should keep their noses out of government. there are too many ex business people in the states already and they haven’t done any good further there is already party politics in the states and I’m talking about the old school tie brigade\high parish deputies.
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