Emperor IWV may turn out to be naked

After each general election there are complaints from islanders about deputies voted into the States and taking up senior committee positions over whom they had no say, good or bad. Without an opportunity to vote for them or their opponents they consider such States members cannot represent them.

It is a valid view and one which has many subscribers.

But is it such a burning issue that islanders are willing to spend their time and money campaigning to see it changed?

The States believes the ‘ideal scenario’ is one where five campaign groups are formed, each championing one of the five options that will be voted on in an island-wide voting referendum.

Those campaign groups would each be able to spend up to £5,000 of States money promoting their cause. On top of that, each group could spend ‘in the region of £10,000’ of its own money.

In theory, there could be £75,000 of campaign money sloshing around the island with each group seeking to outshout the others to get their case across and persuade islanders of the logic of their argument.

That is a lot of promotion.

But is it worth it?

There are issues that really stir up islanders, such as the current education debate, plans to fill in Belle Greve Bay or build a massive incinerator.

Better rights for disabled people has a strong following, as did same-sex marriage and pension rights.

Those debates got people fired up and ready to man the barricades.

How we elect our deputies is not in the same league.

There is a real danger here of the island-wide voting emperor turning out to be naked. If only a handful of politicians and IWV enthusiasts engage with the process all this talk of campaign groups with big budgets will start to look heavy-handed and out of touch.

No amount of advertising or leaflets will set fire to an issue if the kindling of burning injustice is not alight.