Helyar suggests a referendum on system of government

Former treasury lead Mark Helyar, pictured, put forward the suggestion in the States yesterday, after his requete to reduce the size of the Assembly by 10 seats was thrown out by deputies.

He is among a group of States members who have indicated they would like to see the island’s committee system replaced by some form of cabinet government, under which executive powers would be held by a smaller number of ministers, possibly operating distinctly from the Assembly.

‘It is starting to occur to me that actually we could probably do with another requete looking at a referendum about whether we have executive government or not,’ said Deputy Helyar as he closed debate on his proposal yesterday morning.

‘This place is not going to make that decision while it is made up of people who are voting on the basis of their self-interest. That is clearly what is going on here, and I think the public will see right through that.’

There has been only one referendum held previously, in 2018, when the public backed replacing electoral districts with island-wide voting, which was introduced at the last general election, in 2020.

Several States Assemblies have rejected moving to a cabinet or executive system of government, including in 2002, 2010 and 2014, following various reviews carried out both by States committees and independent panels.

The current Assembly yesterday backed a narrower review proposed by Deputy Peter Roffey which will focus on the number of deputies required to operate the committee system and be carried out by the States Assembly & Constitution Committee.

Most of that work is expected to take place in the next States term, potentially leading to recommendations to alter the size of the Assembly from the start of the 2029-33 term.

Deputy Helyar was highly critical of the States’ decision to reject his requete to cut a quarter of seats in time for next year’s general election and set up a review instead, which followed nearly 10 hours of debate.

‘I was chatting to somebody yesterday who doesn’t normally listen to the States,’ said Deputy Helyar.

‘I asked what they thought and if they were impressed and he said “it’s a bit like Beethoven, but with no talent”. Of course, Beethoven, as we know, was tone deaf, which is where we’ve ended up.

‘The turkeys and Christmas example has been given several times. I’m not going to refer to States members as turkeys because that would be extremely unfair. But at least this has smoked out people’s positions and I think that is a reasonable exercise.’

The States’ resolution directing Sacc to review the number of seats in the Assembly replaced a proposal for a separate investigation and advisory committee to carry out a review of the States, which had won a vote when it was debated at amendment stage the previous day.