Sunday trading block bid 'waste of States time'
A MOVE by his deputy minister to get the States to go back on total deregulation of Sunday trading has been called 'a complete waste of parliamentary time' by Commerce and Employment minister Kevin Stewart.
Al Brouard is the man behind the amendment to the department's report on the legislation changes needed to enact the States' decision.
Deputy Brouard predicted the critical vote at the December meeting 'will be very close', with potential growing for deputies to move away from total deregulation, which had been supported 25-19 last month.
Deputy Stewart, however, has reacted angrily to the move by his own deputy minister, declaring: 'It was defeated before, it will be defeated again.
'It will be a complete waste of parliamentary time,' said Deputy Stewart. 'Right now, there are far more important things and we have got an absolutely rammed agenda between now and March.
'Bringing this forward just further adds to a really full agenda.
'Now we have to move on. Sometimes it is important to know when you have lost.'
