Decisive action from Scrutiny over poverty

Scrutiny within our system of government is about balance – choosing when and where to act with the limited resources available. We cannot please everyone. The SMC are often accused by some members of the current Assembly and certain members of the public of choosing not to investigate their particular hobby-horse issues.

In turn when we do investigate issues, such the HMIC report, we are then accused by the responsible politicians of being too interventionist and simultaneously by those of a different view of not intervening strongly enough. On another day we have a local political commentator, Peter Gillson, arguing that the SMC are going too far based on a forensic consideration of our mandate.

I know as an experienced local politician that my committee will always be simultaneously criticised for being too strong or too weak on numerous issues of the day. This is simply the reality of a parliamentary scrutiny function in our consensus system of government.

Let me therefore clearly state the actual position. Having considered the evidence, the Scrutiny Management Committee feels strongly about the vital issue of poverty, which afflicts a significant proportion of the island’s working population. Therefore, we have chosen to act decisively and ask the States Assembly to direct the relevant government committees to promptly investigate solutions.

This is an unusual step for a Scrutiny function in our system of government, but I believe it is essential that action is taken and I make no apologies for choosing this course.

DEPUTY CHRISTOPHER GREEN

President of the Scrutiny Management Committee