New priorities a huge challenge for this States
AS THE official States cheerleader for its Government Work Plan, Deputy Heidi Soulsby springs no surprises in her update on the facing page. She's presenting a streamlined, simplified plan of action. It’s already producing results. It will continue to evolve, and deputies will make sure that it proves its worth to serve both the States and the island.
We must hope that it does. While some of the actions delivered in the past nine months are impressive, others have not emerged beyond the ‘discussions’ phase.
But Deputy Soulsby also outlines some further, real challenges facing government in the next few years. Set against an uncertain financial future, clearly not helped by the lack of clarity over the tax review, they would be massive issues for any government. For one hamstrung by finances, addressing climate change commitments to get to net-zero by 2050 is going to be a massive task.
‘We need to start delivering, otherwise, not only is it greenwash, but the impacts of global warming will become increasingly apparent,’ she says.
Deputy Soulsby also flags income inequality, particularly coming to the fore in difficult times for the economy, highlighted by the pandemic and now the tax review. This is an issue which, in previous times, could, maybe would, have been overlooked by government.
If toes are dipped into this massive cross-departmental issue, it is likely to result in an never-ending demand for resources, or a massive disappointment to equality campaigners.
‘We can’t ignore the issue as, like climate change, the longer we wait to act the more severe the repercussions for future generations,’ Deputy Soulsby says.
She is right, of course. But the sheer scale of these two challenges dwarf the 10 priorities the States is already trying to work through. They instinctively look like issues which, taken as a whole, are far too big to contemplate.
The journey towards a ‘wellbeing economy’ – the approach which pursues human and ecological wellbeing, and not just economic growth – starts here. It’s going to make current States prioritisation and limited delivery look very small in comparison.