Monday 21 April 2014
Public Meeting at the Town Hall - Role of the Chief Minister
On Thursday this week Reform Jersey will be hosting a public meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the role of the Chief Minister.
On the 29th April, States Members will be debating the biggest change to the way that Jersey is governed since ministerial government was introduced in 2005.
There has been virtually no public discussion on the proposed changes whatsoever, and we have no idea if the public are concerned that power is being taken away from the States Members they elect and given to a Chief Minister that they don't elect.
Reform Jersey opposes these changes and believes that democracy in Jersey is under threat, yet again.
We are providing an opportunity for members of the public to stand up and give their opinions on this important topic and hopefully give an indication to the States on what the public mood is on these changes.
If you care about democracy and accountability in Jersey politics, we hope to see you there.
Date - Thursday 24th April
Time - 7.30pm
Venue - Town Hall, St Helier
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Sam,
ReplyDeleteI can't make the meeeting tonight. I'm hoping that Mike Dun or VFC will video it and put it on Youtube. Is that the plan? I hope so. Best of luck.
Just read your tweet about having beer poured over you for being a politician. Sounds like a common assault. You should not have to tolerate that. Press charges, make an example of the perpetrator.
ReplyDeleteThanks anonymous. Doing a bit of digging to see if I can find the guys name, but regardless if I can I'll make a complaint in the next few days.
DeleteIn a job like this, the only way to stay sane is to keep up a decent social life and I don't intend on getting scared out of that any time soon no matter how pathetic some people are.
Sam, if it happened in Kasbar, the place will be riddled with CCTV, like most bars. Report it to the cops, tell them to seek out the CCTV. It's assault, plain and simple. If you don't stop this person it will only embolden them. What next, they punch someone, who then bangs their head, then dies? Clip this dude's wings.
DeleteThanks anonymous. The guy who did it has been in touch to own up and unreservedly apologised, so I won't be taking it further.
DeleteSam, as one of those who encouraged you to report it to the police, I applaud your decision to accept this person's apology. You are the bigger person. I sincerely hope that the person concerned has read various online comments and realised just how close they came to severly hampering their own prospects. Most of all, I hope they feel that their wings have been clipped. Stupid events like this often end in tragedy, this guy will hopefully think again next time.
DeleteNevertheless, I would advise you to document what happened to you in the event of any similar occurrence going before the courts in the future.
In the 1990's there was a famous Jersey case of a pub doorman and a pub customer who got into argy-bargy that rapidly escalated out of control, leading to life-changing injuries for the customer and a prison sentence for the doorman. This sort of thing is not OK, it can rapidly escalate out of control.
And for all the idiot trolls (hello Mick) who have taken a pop at you over this, here's a clear message:
Sam had a choice to take legal action and potentially cause serious problems for another young person, who may or may not have been under the influence of alcohol at the time. Sam chose to accept the apology and not ruin someone's prospects. That makes him not only a good person, but the bigger man.
Someone mentioned at the meeting about how Australia has compulsory voting. As an Australian and former politico out there I can assure that is not the case. There is the Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1912 (updated in 1921), but the Director of Elections at the Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed to me that the only compulsion relates to registering on the Electoral Roll, you can be fined for not registering to vote - it is not compulsory to actually vote. People need to be very careful about misleading the public about things like that when using it to try and make a point.
ReplyDeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteGetting back to the topic of this post, the role of the Chief Minister, etc.
It has not escaped my attention that Chief Minister Senator Gorst has just come out in favour of removing the Bailiff from the States (a brave move on his part, I applaud him). Meanwhile, External Relations Minister and former Bailiff Senator Philip Bailhache is bitterly opposed to that change, to the extent that he has tabled an amendment to try to force the public to decide the issue in a referendum.
This is the same Council of Ministers that wants to enforce a doctrine of collective responsibility on the Council of Ministers
Will you please, loudly and clearly, sound the massive IRONY KLAXON during both debates.
Do they not understand how ridiculous they look?
Is it just me?
Please be very strident in highlighting this massive contradiction. It is perfectly proper that two Ministers should take contrary positions, that is our democracy. But in the very next breath they are telling us that they want to bring in a system that would prevent them from doing exactly what they themselves are doing now!!!
It is absolutely crazy.
Nurse, fetch my medicine!
Sam, I hope you receive this before speaking in the Elected Speaker debate.
ReplyDeleteWill you please point out that the very debate to abolish the Bailiff as President of the States is being perfectly well presided over by Greffier Michael de la Haye.
Also, that Senator Len Norman was brilliant at chairing a recent in-committee debate
Thanks anonymous. I had intended to start my speech with that exact point.
DeleteUnfortunately, the idiotic decision of the States today to accept Senator Bailhache's amendment for a referendum means I can no longer support the proposition and have had to tear up my planned speech.
Dear Deputy Mézec,
ReplyDeleteIf you have time, watch a film documentary entitled "The UK Gold" it will help you to understand how the wheel of Jersey politics spins around the hub of the City of London Corporation.
Trailer - URL: http://www.theukgold.co.uk/
Download or purchase DVD - URL: URL: http://www.brass-moustache.co.uk/shop/
Kind regards,
Anon.
A better film trailer may be found here:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1307460848/audience-unlock-the-uk-gold