Monthly States meetings could need a requete to achieve
A MOVE will be made to stick with once-monthly States meetings and overturn dates agreed by the Assembly last month, as some of them clash with Alderney States meetings.
States meetings in Guernsey are set to take place every three weeks in 2019/20.
The Assembly approved the States’ Assembly and Constitution Committee’s proposition by 19 votes to 15 at September’s meeting.
The replacement Alderney representatives, who were standing in for regulars Louis Jean and Graham McKinley, mistakenly voted in favour despite those clashes.
‘Mistakes were made and I am putting in an amendment to try to rectify that,’ said Mr Jean.
‘There were also members who had already left who would have voted that way. People are remorseful about it and what I am trying to do is correct a mistake.’
Deputy Richard Graham could not make the vote due to a medical appointment.
‘I think it is the first vote I have missed in the States,’ he said.
‘I would be sympathetic to it [a move to change the meeting dates]. I would have voted as
the Alderney representatives wanted to vote.’
‘There were one or two others who were absent, but I don’t know how they would have voted.’
One of those was Deputy Carl Meerveld, who said he would support Mr Jean’s move, which he thought would require a requete for a change to be made.
‘Not only does it facilitate the Alderney members, but it also brings it into line in with the dates of douzaine meetings, to get their input,’ he said.
‘I am sure there will be seven deputies who believe that this should be considered.’
Sacc president Peter Roffey proposed three-weekly meetings last month on the basis that there would be a need for more meetings in the final year of the States term.
