Harsh sanction of deputy goes too far
THERE have been many States committees riven by personality and policy clashes over the years.
If this most-fractious of Assemblies had to work only with people they liked and agreed with, they would need 40 committees.
Deputy Victoria Oliver is not popular with her fellow members on Home Affairs. Her outspoken views on cannabis have brought a harsh sanction: they have asked the States for permission to chuck her out.
The reasons given are twofold: first, that she has criticised the police; second, that there has been a breakdown in trust with a fellow committee member. Neither stands up to scrutiny.
The relevant section of the Facebook post reads: ‘We cannot be arresting people who have very small amounts [of cannabis] when vice president is director of whole blooming farm. It stinks no matter which way you look.’
The criticism is not of police actions, it is of mixed messaging. It says that the police job in enforcing the drugs law is made harder by the legal production of cannabis and the prominent role played by a senior Home Affairs deputy. In private, some officers might agree.
Others in the community will not. The two forms of cannabis are very different, they will say, and people understand the distinction.
Agree or not, there should be no question that it is a valid view, which Deputy Oliver has a right to hold if not express.
Home Affairs, who have previous when it comes to blurring the line between politics and operational matters, are using their own sorry record to ramp up the charges. It smacks of convenience rather than conviction politics.
Equally disingenuous is the pretence that one Facebook post means Deputy Oliver’s mere presence on the committee makes it impossible for Home Affairs to fulfil its entire mandate.
She has been censured, the remainder of the committee have made their opinions clear. She has deleted the post and apologised. Home Affairs deputies, of all people, should understand the concept of second chances.
To take this all the way to the States for a highly personal debate is a waste of everybody’s time and energy and a sad reminder of how this Assembly consistently fails to uphold the spirit of #GuernseyTogether.