Sasha Kazantseva-Miller: Building bridges

In 2020, I ran on a promise to get things done and bring new energy and collaboration to the States. That commitment remains unwavering – but my understanding of how to make it work has evolved, as I’ve matured politically and learned how to make things happen in our system of government.

One of the first steps in my political life was joining the Guernsey Partnership of Independents. That party experiment did not survive first contact with the reality of Guernsey politics and was disbanded within weeks of election. The lesson was clear – formal and informal groupings can create perceptions of ‘us and them’ and lead to entrenched divisions. I paid the price as it took time to break out of that early association. Trust, once lost, takes time to rebuild.

Since then, I’ve worked hard to move beyond labels and camps – focusing instead on what unites us, which is a shared commitment to Guernsey’s future. That began in earnest when I tried to work across the Assembly and help progress the funding for Les Ozouets campus in 2023. It was an early and genuine attempt to break the divisiveness of the States and build bridges. Yet, that single act of a search for a pragmatic solution put me on the black-list of deputies and political commentators who are opposed to Education Committee’s policies.

I remained committed to my strong principles – doing what I believe is right, finding ways to move forward, building bridges. In the end, it’s only ourselves we look at in the mirror each day. Over the past four years, I’m proud to have collaborated with nearly half of Guernsey’s deputies on amendments and requete propositions, a track record not easy to match.

Building bridges and collaborating effectively should cascade through everything we do in the States to govern effectively.

Reimagining Collaboration

Within the committee system

Guernsey’s committee system of government is unique. It can give a lot of independence to each committee and encourage innovation and initiative. Working closely with colleagues and officers on Economic Development, it has given me the freedom to deliver fresh ideas such as the Guernsey Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Innovation Board.

But on more complex, cross-cutting issues, which are increasingly the norm rather than the exception, the committee system can be disjointed and lack strategic coordination. The Government Work Plan is largely a wish-list of committees’ individual priorities – it lacks serious prioritisation and a more cohesive long-term vision. Collaboration usually happens via slow, formal letter-writing between committees – not exactly agile policy-making.

We should embrace more joint workshops, interest-based working groups (offshore wind comes to mind), and informal opportunities for deputies to work and socialise together. Even a simple solution such as co-working spaces, which may seem trivial, can really matter.

With the civil service

While our political system remains committee-based, the civil service has evolved into a more centralised, matrix model – with shared services like HR, IT, procurement and finance sitting at the centre.

This misalignment creates ripe foundations for frustration for both deputies and officers as lines of ownership, accountability and direction are blurred. If we want collaboration to thrive, our political and civil service needs to align better, which is why an evolution to the machinery of government is needed. It’s about embracing better collaboration under stronger strategic leadership, while having clearer lines of responsibility with tools to deliver.

Islanders are keen to see more efficient delivery of services – at the core of it lies our ability to organise, to make decisions, to deliver, to learn and repeat. This was at the heart of my successful motion to create a committee for housing. My experience on planning and the IDP review helped me witness a disjointed approach to increasing delivery of homes, with too many cooks in the kitchen pulling in different directions.

With the community

Guernsey’s strength lies in its community. We are a small island with a strong social contract and community spirit. That’s why we must design policy and delivery with our people, not for them.

That means much better engagement in policy development and delivery early on, better commissioning, more transparency and more frequent communication.

When I ran Islandmums during Covid, we pioneered the slogan ‘Islandmums Together'. A few days later ‘Guernsey Together’ was also born. The spirit of community and collaboration was incredible – we need to find ways to tap into that by creating a shared sense of urgency to act in a faster, more responsive, collaborative fashion.

With industry

Guernsey has an incredible pool of talent and expertise for an island of 65,000. We are missing a trick not tapping into on-island expertise and funding more effectively. Working closely with industry bodies and creating forums such as the Tourism Management Board is one of the core guiding principles of the Committee for Economic Development. The application process for Innovate Guernsey was highly over-subscribed which speaks to the latent willingness and desire of many in our community to contribute.

We also need to embrace public-private partnerships. The fibre roll-out deal with Sure was a model for how government can partner with industry to deliver major infrastructure on time and on budget. We simply don’t have the resources or funding to do it all ourselves, especially as we are no longer balancing our books.

That’s why I am also a vocal champion of the Guernsey Development Agency set-up to coordinate development with industry and community outside of political cycles.

Internationally

Guernsey is a small player in a complex global landscape – but we consistently punch above our weight. Our survival and prosperity depend on strong relationships with our neighbours and peers, from the UK, Jersey and France to the wider British-Irish Council and the Commonwealth.

These networks aren’t just ceremonial – they’re essential for sharing knowledge, shaping policy, and amplifying our voice. This is how we will survive in an increasingly crowded and competitive world where others want to eat our lunch.

Collaboration is not a political slogan

Collaboration sounds simple, but it’s not. It takes time, trust, patience, courage, humility, self-awareness and a willingness to listen and change your mind.

It can also come at a personal cost because collaboration by some may be perceived as political betrayal by others because in the end, we are all deeply social creatures with strong sense of belonging and alliances. We should be sensitive to our own biases arising from association, perceptions or fixed beliefs. That’s where the humility and self-awareness come in and the fine balance of keeping true to our core principles while being prepared to compromise for the greater good through pragmatic politics.

Better collaboration with community and industry also requires a reset in our mindset about mistakes and failures. Our general tolerance for failure is low which affects our risk appetite and engenders conservative and closed culture across the board. We cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs and boy, we’ve got a few omelettes to make.

Being a bridge-builder may not always be popular, but in a democracy like ours, it’s the role that matters a lot. Let’s embrace this mindset to help shape better government for generations to come.