Special thanks has to go to ITV Channel Island's Gary Burgess who chaired the event and did a fantastic job. He put his personality into it so it wasn't just like a boring hustings, and he asked all three of the spokespeople on the platform really tough questions, so none of us was given an easy ride. That's exactly what these debates should be like and I think there is a future for more debates like this in Jersey chaired by someone independent who knows their facts and is prepared to hold people to account.
I'll be speaking at a youth hustings at Highlands College for all students at 4pm on Wednesday and again the next day at a debate at St Brelade's Parish Hall. A full list of public debates is at the bottom of this post.
Last night was a debate at Communicare in which Dr Jonathan Renouf from the Electoral Commission came out and spoke for Option A. He gave a powerful case for why Jersey needs hope and only Option A provides the fairness and equality to give us hope to make Jersey better. He gave an interview with former Senator Ted Vibert which I cannot sum up, so I can only recommend watching it yourself.
It's important for democrats to come out now and build up the momentum towards polling day. At the Communicare debate last night one person asked the B and C teams perhaps the best question that may be asked this whole campaign. He brought up the Parish system and how those backing Option's B and C say that they are so fundamental to our culture and society that they must have automatic representation in the States, and then commented that so too women, Christians and the Portuguese community are also so important to our islands culture and society, so why don't B and C support automatic representation for those groups too?
Of course there is no answer to this question, but makes the perfect point that there are many groups and things that are important to Jersey, but they exist and thrive without automatic States representation and the Parishes will be the same.
The next week will be a heavy one for campaigning as there are debates every night and I'm told that some big players will be making endorsements.
We must remember that Option B is fundamentally unfair. Please, when you hear people talking about Option B, make the point that it is unfair and undemocratic! It is unfair for the rural areas to have so much over-representation at the expense of the urban areas. That's not fair, it's not democratic, and it's not acceptable.
Option A, Toujours en Avant!
Monday 15 April, 7.30pm
Rouge Bouillon School
Tuesday 16 April, 7pm
St Clement Parish Hall
Wednesday 17 April, 4pm
A special Schools Debate
Wednesday 17 April, 7.30pm
First Tower School
Wednesday 17 April, 7pm
St Ouen Parish Hall
Thursday 18 April, 8pm
La Pouquelaye Community Centre
Thursday 18 April, 7pm
St Brelade Parish Hall
St Brelade Parish Hall
Saturday 20 April, 11.30am
Rally in the Royal Square
Monday 22 April, 7.30pm
St Mary Parish Hall
Monday 22 April, 7.30pm
St Mary Parish Hall
Sam.
ReplyDeleteA vital part of the hijacked electoral commission's history is too often overlooked and your readers should be REMINDED
At the forthcoming hijacked referendum PLEASE use BOTH votes.
Deletee.g. A #1 ......... AND ........ C #2
Voting C as 2nd choice is NOT a vote against A because your 2nd vote does not count unless your first choice is knocked out in the first count,
Your 2nd choice vote ONLY counts if your first is knocked out ...... USE IT !
Do you want B to win because you didn't use your backup vote?
The current system (i.e. "C") is bad and undemocratic but least it is not "B", which is worse !!!!!!
Let's not also forget Dr Renouf's remarks:
ReplyDelete"The Venice Commission gives guidance only, not a legal obligation... there is no basis for a legal challenge".
and the conversation I had with him and you afterwards.
Excellent speech, Sam. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteIs Lyndon correct in saying the loss of Constables from the States unless you vote option C, could lead to parishiners no longer able go to their constables for instance about speeding issues etc as those constables influence will be weakened?
ReplyDeleteHow is one constable able to have so much influence as things stand, that he could change things any how?
Whether the Constable passes the concerns to a deputy and he in turn raises the issue in the States where is the difference to the parishioner. The concern is raised. The part I am not understanding is the influence reference.
Sam, you missed off your list of meeting a special ST HELIER PARISH ASSEMBLY on TUESDAY 16TH APRIL at 7pm in the TOWN HALL.
ReplyDeleteAll three campaign groups will be present to debate the following Proposition:
"To consider the merits of Options A, B or C as set out in the Report of the Electoral Commission of January 2013, ahead of the Referendum on States Reform due to be held on 24th April 2013, and, following a vote by show of hands, that the outcome of the meeting be made known to the Constable of St Helier, the ten Parish Deputies and the ten Senators."
Option A, Toujours en Avant!
At the forthcoming hijacked referendum PLEASE use BOTH votes.
ReplyDeletee.g. A #1 ......... AND ........ C #2
Voting C as 2nd choice is NOT a vote against A because your 2nd vote does not count unless your first choice is knocked out in the first count,
Your 2nd choice vote ONLY counts if your first is knocked out ...... USE IT !
Do you want B to win because you didn't use your backup vote?
The current system (i.e. "C") is bad and undemocratic but least it is not "B", which is worse !!!!!!
I will vote A & C and hope that our politicians do the right and fair thing and adapt the result into something that respects
democratic principles like "A" but retains enough members for the much needed scrutiny function.
Perhaps have 7 Deputies per district (totalling 48) or maybe keep the Senators.
(keeping the island wide mandate is essential if the Chief Minister is going to get more powers)
The hijacked electoral commission has given us hijacked choices.
No change, or an elected dictatorship - a crass and immoral plan.
If "B" wins on the 24th our feeble democracy dies. Jersey's equivalent of Germany's 1933 enabling act, giving us a semi-elected dictatorship.
If B wins on the 24th it still has to be passed by the States and presented as legislation to the Privy Council for approval. That is when the fun begins. Sark has shown what happens when undemocratic gerrymandering is wrapped up as "reform". It will be kicked into touch and government of Jersey told to go back and think again.
ReplyDeleteSam I have just noted something, if you were the one who arranged the meeting at St. Saviour. why did the Constable of the Parish but not the organiser of the meeting deem it appropriate to end the meeting? Did you in fact wish it to end?
ReplyDeleteBecause I was partisan and a member of the panel I didn't want to take on the neutral role of opening and closing the event and was just going to leave it to the chair. The Constable just sort of came up and spoke which I didn't mind, so long as she was being neutral. I felt her comments about me at the end were totally inappropriate and misguided, which I was annoyed about but it was too late to do anything about it. I suspect/ hope it will have backfired though as many thought she was out of order.
DeleteI do not need to read the Venice Commission guidelines to see that option 'B' is totally unfair and gives a weighted bias to some districts. Follow Guernsey's lead, become more democratic.
ReplyDeleteTony's Musings - "While the argument for Option A is about voter equity and the fairness of a system which only has voter equity, it is surely not fair to misrepresent Sir Philip by selectively quoting what he has said, and missing the thrust of his argument, which balances voter equity against the direct constitutional link. Option A may be about fairness; some of the arguments like this are not."
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Option 'A' IS about fairness, but I note the point he was making, but hey, who to blame, the JEP is the champion of inaccurate quoting. I guess it is a problem when the inaccurate quoting is aimed at non establishment figures.
Team A need to get out there in St Helier and amongst the young to say their piece. To St Helier they should be saying do you want to continue to be run over by the country parishes and to the young they should be giveng examples (such as fort regent) and saying this is what the current system gets you, do you want that for your future, the current system is taking more away from you than it is giving. Thanks for the leaflet
ReplyDeleteHi Sam.
ReplyDeleteSpeech of Senator Maclean, tells us the commission have given us a load of Cr*p. no one could of but it better & we weren't expecting this to come for him!
You & your readers can Listen HERE
TJW.