Poll position
NOVEMBER'S States meeting proved to be something of a hotchpotch. It started off with a suggestion that the population of Guernsey should be forced to vote in local elections.
NOVEMBER'S States meeting proved to be something of a hotchpotch. It started off with a suggestion that the population of Guernsey should be forced to vote in local elections.
Deputy Matt Fallaize was worried that the States' right to govern was being undermined by a combination of depleted electoral rolls and low turnouts among those registered to vote. How on earth he thinks that our government's legitimacy will be enhanced by forcing an uninterested Mr and Mrs Le Page into the polling booth just to avoid a fine is beyond me.
It could be argued that it would be outrageously counter-democratic because a really motivated elector who'd done their research and was definite over their choice of deputy could have their vote cancelled out by someone just turning out to avoid a criminal record.
It wasn't too clear how far this compulsory voting was to be taken. I'm sure our deputies aren't so vain as to think that it's only their elections that are important enough for a law dragooning islanders into taking part.
What about compulsory voting for douzeniers, constables or even the parochial cemetery committees? After all, I would hate to think that the actions of those responsible for Guernsey necropolises were being rendered questionable by low voter turnouts.
If they do decide to go for compulsory voting, I hope they remember to include a prison extension in the States capital programme. I can't be the only cussed and contrary Guernseyman who, although passionate about voting in local elections, would consider going to jail for my democratic right not to vote.
Next on the agenda was the re-run of the debate on banning cigarette vending machines. Our government had spent several hours of expensive parliamentary time in July deciding - by five votes - to ban the contraptions.
'Let's have another debate on that,' cried Deputy Dave Jones and a few other deputies.
So, come November, after a few hours' debate, the same House decided - by five votes again - to ban cigarette vending machines. What a pointless exercise.
Perhaps the only vaguely interesting nugget to come out of this total waste of time was the revelation that Deputy Jones' passionate speech during the original debate allegedly wasn't his at all. Huge chunks of his tirade had reportedly been lifted verbatim from the internet. I wonder if this is an isolated incident, or if our deputies make a habit of clothing themselves in other people's eloquence?
The biggest item on the agenda was the rebuilding of Les Beaucamps School. No one voted against this long-standing capital priority, but questions were rightly raised about value for money after the estimated cost more than doubled to £37m. in just five years. That sort of cost escalation could result in big delays for La Mare de Carteret or the long-overdue acute psychiatric facilities at the PEH.
At the very least, it deserves a full explanation. There has been none. The best that project board member Deputy Jack Honeybill could offer in a radio interview was an extra lane on the swimming pool.
The problem for this States is that vital infrastructure projects will just keep on coming at it, but at this rate the capital reserve will soon be exhausted.
List the money needed for new schools, hospitals and less sexy projects like a new slaughterhouse or sewage works and it becomes clear that Guernsey faces a stark choice. Either it increases the amount it puts aside for capital projects each year from its revenue budget or else faces a gradual decline in the island's infrastructure.
Greater capital allocations will be hard to achieve. Traditionally, such sums have come out of the annual surplus on the States revenue account. Now, of course, that account is showing an annual deficit. So if capital spending is to be increased, then the actions needed to balance the budget - like increasing taxes or constraining revenue expenditure - will need to be more extreme. Not an easy message to sell to the public.
The other option of spending less than is required to preserve the island's infrastructure may have short-term attractions - it's relatively painless - but longer term it's a disastrous course of action. Just like with a business, any community that doesn't maintain its capital assets and ensure they are fit for the modern word is eventually doomed to decline.
Of course we don't need pretentious, over-the-top facilities in Guernsey. But to scrimp too much on maintaining our infrastructure is like eating the seed corn.
