Party is out to provide closure on governance

THE baton has been passed and the race is now on to make the term 'governance' mean something in practice.

And, in some cases, it could deliver radical reform.

In March, the Public Accounts Committee, which led the march to accepting the principles of good governance - essentially making sure the structures in place deliver value for money for the public - was somewhat put through the wringer for its key report on the issue.

For many it had not gone far enough, indeed had made mistakes, in trying to explain what it all means in practice.

It was a lost opportunity.

Now we have the Joint Committees' Working Party putting together a report to propose how the six principles of good governance can be applied and compliance with them measured.

It is a chance for the 'Cinderella' trio to finally make a lasting stamp on Guernsey's government, the working party brings together Public Accounts, Scrutiny and the States Assembly and Constitution Committees.

And the clock is ticking - there is less than a year left of this States and some massive decisions to be made elsewhere that could take up a lot of the oxygen.

Deputy Matt Fallaize, Scrutiny vice-chairman and Sacc member, is the newly-elected chairman of the working party, which brings together at-times disparate factions.

'We respect the Public Accounts Committee for introducing governance into the vocabulary of politics in Guernsey, although, yes, the other two committees have been critical of certain aspects of PAC's work on governance,' he said.

'But the prospects for reconciliation are encouraging: at a joint meeting of the three committees the set-up of the working party was approved unanimously, I think the members of the committees are sensible enough to see that their commitment to working together is going to be tested and to rise to that challenge, and in any event the States has directed us jointly to produce proposals for reform and any wriggling out of that instruction would be deplorable.'

He said that it was important that the issue was brought to some kind of conclusion before the general election.

'This States, for understandable reasons, has almost become preoccupied with governance, and yet it remains a fairly abstract notion.

'Putting a report before the States which lays out what good governance looks like and how it can be applied in the Guernsey context will provide closure. I want the next States not to have to spend time and energy dealing with those inward-looking questions.'

Deputy Fallaize said that governance was not a monolithic concept.

Any democratic system of government could adapt to the best principles of good governance, he added.

'We have a democratic system of government by committees and consensus which has evolved over centuries, which I'd venture to suggest three-quarters of the States supports, which the last time they were asked three-quarters of the public preferred to a ministerial or cabinet system and which is quite patently more appropriate for a jurisdiction without political parties,' he said.

'The work on governance is now heading in a new direction because this working party will accept and adapt to those starting points rather than inviting them to be challenged.'

The words will chill those from the other side of the fence who believe the starting point is wrong in the first place.

But does it mean there is a straitjacket on the whole process?

'I see considerable scope for reform which in some areas will need to be radical, but I don't accept that the States is generally incompetent or universally unfit to govern,' said Deputy Fallaize.

'Moreover, I don't think anything is going to be achieved by repeatedly bashing ourselves over the head with dubious evidence of alleged shortcomings.

'Instead, we need to work in a collegiate manner, laying out with much greater clarity and self-awareness a credible package of reforms capable of commanding broad support.

'My starting point is simple: we have a good system of government but there is a strong case for reform to strengthen accountability, improve the process of policy planning and decision making and clarify the roles of, and relationships between, for example States members, civil servants, political boards of departments, parliamentary committees and the Policy Council. The job is basically to present a blueprint for the highest standards of governance to which this government is reasonably able to aspire.'

But it will not be a catch-all answer to all of government's ills.

'Good governance of itself doesn't make the buses run on time and it certainly doesn't imply that the controversies and difficulties inherent in politics will recede,' said Deputy Fallaize.

'There is no perfect model of governance, nor will better governance prevent frequent disputes about policy and process between politicians, States departments, and the States and sections of the electorate. But it's important, nonetheless, because good governance ensures that our government and parliament are arranged in ways which enable our democracy to function as effectively as possible.

'It is important that our democracy should be as healthy and as robust as possible, and so it is worth investing this time reviewing governance.'