Do islanders have the government they deserve?

The electors and non electors of Guernsey, the verbal ones that is, have been proclaiming 'worst States ever' repeatedly over many years. The thought that 'worst States ever' might be the product of worst electorate ever has failed to emerge. At the very least a deficiency in forward vision, by electors and the general public, must have played a part in getting to where we are.

Often it is unclear where the first seeds of a bad idea have come from, but the general public are often at the beginning of something that grows and gathers momentum. Wherever it started the public certainly did much to drive the idea that there were too many States members. That was seen as opportunity by politicians and civil servants disgruntled by rejection of cabinet government. An easy target was found, douzaine representatives could be chopped. They were not directly elected by the people, so not good democracy, was the thin argument.

Some deputies looked down their noses at the douzaine representatives, put there by only a handful of people, not gone through a rigorous election, not had to prepare a manifesto or canvass the parish.

There were a significant number of deputies willing to stab douzaine reps in the back.

There was a second group of people, not with a vote in the States but, with a lot of influence. Senior administrative civil servants are quite good at keeping an idea rolling, if beneficial to them. Historically douzaine reps were the most difficult States members for civil servants to manipulate. Many deputies seem to distance themselves from the public and can slip into relying on civil servants for guidance. Douzaine reps were much more difficult to control. Each rep was supported by a team of advisers and researchers – douzeniers – who were close to ordinary people and distant from the influence of civil servants.

Arguments were made for a smaller States Assembly, more streamlined, more efficient and more decisive. Some bribery was thrown in as well. A smaller number of States members could be paid. It could all be tied in with a new structure of government. What a great opportunity for concentrating power. Few in the States had the foresight or the energy to fight it. The loudmouths in and out of the States had an easy run. The good people of Guernsey let it happen with hardly a murmur.

The consequence was an increase in the number of high-cost civil servants, a reduction in the number of States members that are supposed to be controlling them and, the loss of the most independent and common sense group of States members. Hardly anybody seemed to notice. Senior civil servants could not believe their luck.

Many people have been wondering how island government got into a downward spiral. If there is a single point where the serious rot started this was it. Now the States has gone even further with more reduction of members, using much the same spurious arguments as before. High- cost civil servants keep increasing.

The absence of an opposition force in the States and its effect has been gradually dawning on the population. Strangely no connection is made with the throwing out of the douzaine reps, which were the nearest thing to an effective opposition that is ever likely to appear. Douzaine reps were on one- year terms of office, making them quite tied to their roots.

Probably it is wrong to label any section of the community as not worthy of the position of States deputy.

Some individuals will prove to be far better or far worse than background might suggest.

Where there seems to have been mistakes is for electors to assume persons who appear to be big wheels in the so- called finance industry are some sort of financial gurus that will guide Guernsey down good and safe paths. There is a long trail of foul-ups and apparent trickery that such gurus failed to prevent.

These include the CISX scandal, £2.6m. that disappeared in the direction of Nigeria, the farce of the Financial Transformation Plan with its pretence that cuts and re-allocations are savings, crazy spend to save schemes, the absurd sum of money that disappeared into the Pfos saga, the hoodwinking of the States Assembly into a £330m. bond without proper disclosure or due diligence.

Perhaps there is a category of person that should only be considered for high office in spite of their background and not because of it.

If there is one defining incident that should be in the minds of electors it must be the famous 'fake saving', when it was thought a budget transfer between departments justified a 'reward fee' of £40,000 to be paid to consultants. This was so idiotic that the consultants, not a breed particularly known for passing up easy money, were so embarrassed that they refused to take it. One might expect that those at the front of that debacle might quietly slip into obscurity at the end of their term of office. Not a chance, so it would seem.

In the days when 'worst States ever' was not a popular cry it is interesting to note that the membership consisted of a wide selection of people, as it does now. However, there was a large contingent of growers and farmers, construction workers and suchlike. The assortment was biased towards people engaged in primary and secondary wealth creation, with douzaine reps strongly contributing to the mix. The trend over the years has been more towards people with a wealth procuring and consuming background.

It does not seem to have occurred to the general public that persons with a background connected with financial tricks might be more inclined to think tricks are normal and acceptable in government.

Many people's thoughts seem to have been dominated by side issues when elections come along. Will voters remember enough of the big bad things that have happened in government and who has been associated with them?

Will electors be fooled by a road-to-Damascus-type conversion to IWV, just before an election?

Will electors have noticed that GST is still lingering in the minds of a powerful few?

Will it slip from electors minds that the plight of potential first- time buyers has worsened in the last four years?

Will electors start to understand the travesty of the new population policy and remember who has led us into this trap?

HENRY LANCASTER,

Elsinore,

Ville es Pies,

Vale.