Dilettantes playing at politics should stop their derisory sniping

Because they give a pretty good impression of unequivocal certainty when dispensing their vision. These protagonists for ‘all change’ are not clairvoyants with special powers of cognisance, they’re just promulgating an opinion. I’m sure they have every faith in their projection for a committee of wunderkinds (will they have logos stamped on their chests, and wear their boxers over their trousers to denote their infallibility?), but it’s the taxpayer who will pay dearly for the services of these paragons of virtue. Who would take on the added pressure and expectation to constantly make the right decisions, without excessive monetary remuneration?

Its presumptuous, because no human being is infallible, and divisive, because why should our other elected deputies act as drones, to the queen bees, but be held in less regard and on a lower salary? Will the hot-housing do the trick? Will the much vaunted, multiple business opportunities materialise? Will they fall thick and fast like manna from Heaven because there’s a new regime? Will their souped-up ability to give the go-ahead to projects with unprecedented speed be the solution its being cracked up to be? Knee-jerk reactions are odious and as our chief minister Deputy Trott opined recently, decide in haste, repent at leisure.

In our much-maligned Guernsey way, our Assembly was hitherto known as the States of Deliberation because that was what happened. Issues were deliberated on, weighed up and carefully considered as to what was the best path for our island. (Some of our representatives still concur with that premise, thank goodness). Now snap decisions are de rigueur for the progressives.

I don’t think the self-appointed reform club’s notion of new order is valid.

If these people are justifiable critics of our system, not just expounding hot-air theories, why don’t they do what everyone else has to do and stand for election to the Assembly and see their philosophies through?

Or are you too important? Too busy? What? But if you are just dilettantes playing at politics, interfering just because you can, stop the derisory sniping at our Assembly. We don’t appreciate snide and sneering remarks about the representatives that we elected.

They are not put in situ so they can be insulted via the back door, and if I hear that done-to-death, hackneyed ‘Would turkeys vote for Christmas?’ routine again, I’ll spit. You are the self-appointed hot-shot, on-the-ball, modernisers – is that all you’ve got? It’s so petty and so offensive.

Personally, I don’t believe a new order committee, would have any more money-making magic in their fingertips than our present incumbents, and even if there are such fabled magicians in our midst, I doubt that they would want to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous government. They’ll be too busy making their own fortunes, to be aiding and abetting on illusory mirage.

Forgive the scepticism folks, but it’s in the Guernsey DNA, and I’m an old lady, who doesn’t believe in magic.

Jill Martel

8 Courtil Jacques, Burnt Lane, St Martin’s