'Deputies must go to fix system that is clearly failing'
CULLING 10 deputies from the States at next year’s general election would be a first step towards better government, a group of deputies will set out to convince their peers.
A requete being led by Deputy Mark Helyar has been published in advance of it being debated by his fellow deputies, likely to be in December.
In it, Deputy Helyar, who is backed by former Policy & Resources Committee colleagues Peter Ferbrache, Bob Murray and Dave Mahoney, and also Rob Prow, Sue Aldwell and Nick Moakes, argues that ‘Guernsey’s government system is unfit for purpose in the 21st century’.
‘It is a rudderless, leaderless system at the mercy of political ideologues and egotists,’ he said.
The move, the deputies say, would make it easier to build consensus, less likely to factionalise, perform better, and require all members to be part of committee government. It should also save money, time in debate, and could encourage better candidates to stand.
‘Guernsey’s political and administrative system is clearly and obviously failing the public,’ the requete says.
‘Over many years States deputies have clung to a mythical consensus model which is unable to deliver in the modern world and there has been a persistent refusal to allow any one individual or group to lead government and to make executive decisions.
‘For Guernsey’s sake, we must move forward and away from clinging to a governmental system which does not work. The public very clearly wants to see change, clear and effective decision-making and leadership and an end to time-wasting and endless unproductive circular debate.’
The requete bemoans the recent shelving of a governance sub-committee of P&R which some hoped would propose the introduction of executive government.
But the requete does not explicitly pursue an executive model, though it does make one reference to ‘our times require clearer and crucially faster decision-making which can only be delivered by an executive based system’, and praises the operation of the Civil Contingencies Authority during the Covid pandemic.
If backed by States members, it is intended that the 10 seats would be scrapped by June’s election and the States Assembly & Constitution Committee would be asked to report back with details about how it would see committees made up from July 2025.
