JERSEY REFERENDUM: OPTION A - WHY ARE BEN SHENTON & THE CONSTABLES ALL RUNNING SCARED OF GENUINE 'HEAD-TO-HEAD' DEBATE?

The main piece below is a requested 'anonymous' guest posting that I am happy to make available via the Bald Truth Jersey. In flagging up the realities of Option A it certainly sets one to thinking...

How much of the truths argued below will actually be confronted by the champions of increased inequality and non-ECHR compliance - Option B; or the retain the failed status quo brigade pushing Option C?

And why ever can it be that the recently re-emerged into the political twilight former Senator  Ben Shenton and his Establishment Protection Squad (EPS) AKA the Constables are running so scared of debating the true merits and drawbacks of all the Options A, B & C with one of the true giants of the modern political era, former Senator Ted Vibert?

Yet first of all for those who haven't been able to read it in the local Pravda I also publish below Mr. Vibert's recent press release itself. For the record I should also point out that while I am aware Mr. Vibert has indeed written personally to the aforesaid ex-Senator Shenton on the matter; sadly, it seems that as yet he has not even received the courtesy of a reply...

*For once I can confidently say that any and all spelling mistakes; typos etc are nothing whatsoever to do with me! Honest...

Press release 

FORMER SENATOR CHALLENGES FORMER SENATOR

 

Former Senator Mr. Ted Vibert has issued a challenge to former Senator Mr. Ben Shenton to publicly debate with him issues involved in the referendum on the make- up of the States.

Mr. Vibert is publicly campaigning, together with the A team, for Option A, which would reduce the number of States members from 51 to 42 and would create six equal size constituencies which would elect 7 deputies per constituency.  Constables would be able to stand in these elections as a deputy and, if elected, hold both positions.

Senator Shenton is a spokesman for Option B which also reduces the numbers to 42 but retains the parish constables as at present.  Option C retains the status quo- 12 Constables 10 Senators and 29 Deputies

In a letter to Mr. Shenton, Mr. Vibert proposes that they debate the motion: “That the Parishes will better off if their Constable is not in the States” . There would be an independent chairman and each speaker would have 15 minutes to make their case.  Their seconder would have 7 minutes and the matter would then be thrown open to the audience who could speak for 2 minute each for a 30 minute4 period.  Each speaker would have a five minute closing speech after which the audience will be invited to vote.

Said Mr. Vibert: “This was the successful formula used by the Jersey Debating Club that was so popular in the late fifties and follows the rules of most debating societies in Britain.

“I hope that Mr. Shenton will take up the challenge as it will help to ensure that the public are fully informed about this most vital issue, probably the most important public issue to come up since the war”

“If Mr. Shenton accepts the challenge I hope that we could hold this at the T own Hall in the weeks before the referendum. I will be asking Jersey Radio if they would broadcast the event live as they have done for election meetings.”  

For further information contact|;  Ted Vibert   625591   07797846764  or email  tedvibertt@gmail.com

 

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“OPTION A” CAN CREATE A TRULY DEMOCRATIC STATES OF JERSEY

A guest posting from a concerned veteran of 1948 and  an observer of many a political battle since. Can any one of us really afford to let this referendum pass us by?

 

 

Just what is at stake on April 24th...

 

'On April 24^th you will be able to take part in a unique event by voting in a referendum where you can tell your government how you want it to be organised and structured.

Governments affect people’s lives in every way.

It decides how much tax you pay, how that money will be spent, whether or not you can smoke in a public place, how much your petrol will cost, how the hospital is run, how you are educated, how much our nurses should be paid, how late you can drink in a pub, what kind of films can be shown, how many houses can be built and so on.

The States registers you when you are born and records when you die.    In short, your government has a massive impact on your lives from the cradle to the grave.

No generation in Jersey has ever had the chance to decide the make- up of our Parliament.

That is why April 24th is a crucial moment in Jersey’s history and islanders must seize it. 

Failure to do so – for instance, by not voting in the referendum  or supporting options that rely on emotion rather than fact,- will mean that we will lose this golden chance of getting the Government we so desperately need to face the modern challenges of the international  world in which Jersey now finds itself. 

The current make-up of the States was recommended to us by a UK Home Office Commission which came to Jersey in 1948 at the request of the States to examine our system of Government which consisted of  the parish Rectors, Jurats, Constables and Deputies..

This system had evolved, from the 15th century when the island’s warden, the Bailiff, was the sole government on behalf of the British Crown.  

Successive Bailiffs, in turn, called on the parish Constables to advise him.  Over centuries  Jurats were added to the mix, then the Rectors and finally some Deputies..    Eventually, this coalesced into the States of Jersey.

This was our Government. at the end of the War when Jersey was struggling to regain its economic and social life and it was obvious  to most islanders that this form of Government was not fit purpose for the changing world of the 50’s and 60’s.  Hence, the UK Commission of 1948 which ultimately recommended the make- up of  States that governs us today , There  have only been a few minor adjustments to that make-up since.

But what was fine 65 years ago can no longer be acceptable today.

Back then agriculture was our main export and tourism was only just beginning to develop.  There were few cars on the island and a limited bus service.  Few people had telephones.  Country people only came to town occasionally.  Most country people spoke Jersey French as  a first language and the population was  only  53,000   The.States sat for one morning a fortnight.

By1999 there were real concerns about that make-up of the States and a panel of distinguished UK judges, academics and  six distinguished local people( the Clothier Panel) was set-up to examine our system of government. They  held a large number of public meetings and heard hundreds of submissions.

They decided that the present system was not fit for purpose and recommended the removal of the Constables and Senators and replacing them with 42-46 members.

When it came before the Sates to decide on that change, the proposition was defeated because the Senators and the Constables, representing 24 votes  and aided by country deputies, did not want to lose their positions of power.  This led one politician to comment on the result that “I’m afraid that turkeys don’t vote for Christmas”.

So Jersey  continued to be governed by a 1948 system and which had been  judged to be “unfit for purpose” in 2000, a system which was acceptable 65 years  ago and was designed for an agricultural society of 53,000.

Two years ago, so much concern was being expressed by the population about the way in which we are governed, that the States set up an Electoral Commission to examine the question. Unfortunately, what had started out as an exemplary piece of work led by former Deputy Daniel Wimberley was alllowed to become hijacked by former Bailiff, Senator Sir.Philip Bailhache.

Nevertheless, their final report still came to a similar conclusion to that of the Clothier Panel with respect to the numbers and the Senators and they based their findings on four fundamental principles for creating a democratic government that are accepted internationally..  These are:

·        All electors should have the same number of votes.

 In Jersey every constituency has a large variety of electorates. The Constable of St. Mary has  1,340 eligible voters in her district whilst the Constable of St. Helier faces 26,890 yet, when in the States, they both have the same power

·        Constituencies should as far as possible be of equal size

Senators have an island-wide constituency containing  77.560  electors whereas the average size constituency for the 27 Deputies is 2,691.   In the 2011 election a Senator received over 18,000 votes and the average Deputy vote was 550 yet once in the States that Senator has no greater power than the Deputy.

·        A candidate should generally require a significant number of votes in order to be elected to the Assembly.

In the 2011 election there was no election for 8 Constable positions and 3 deputy positions.  In St. Ouen there has been no election for Constable for over 100 years

·        The electoral system should be simple, fair and easy to understand.

Jersey’s system is complicated and many islanders say they still do not understand it.

  Contrary to what opponents of Option A are saying, this option does not remove the Constables from the States. 

If  Option A is carried there will be an election for the 42 deputies in the six constituencies, and if a  Constable wishes to be in the States to represent his parish  he can stand as a deputy

OPTION A IS THE ONLY OPTION WHICH MEETS ALL THE BASIC CRITERIA OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY AND MEETS ALL OF THE PRINCIPLES WHICH THE COMMISSION CONSIDERS NECESSSARY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE FAIRLY  REPRESENTED IN THEIR GOVERNMENT

 April 24th is a special day for islanders who wish to see real change take place in the way we are governed.  This is a unique opportunity and will probably never be repeated in your life-time.  Don’t miss the chance to vote for Option A.'

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