The
JDA believes that the need for electoral reform is one of the most pressing
challenges facing Jersey today. As such with the publication of our 2008
election manifesto later this year electoral reform will again form a key
aspect.
With the past term of Ministerial government now demonstrating quite clearly that an Assembly of 53 ‘independents’ remain wholly incapable of delivering any meaningful reform it would be easy to simply reiterate the fact that a change to a party political system offers the obvious solution. The rejection and subsequent ‘cherry picking’ of the Clothier Report has already left us with a Ministerial system that simply cannot operate effectively without party politics.
Over the past eighteen months the JDA has led the way in attempting to begin to address this, proposing a number of reforms that would have made the island’s Government more transparent, accountable and democratic in line with widely expressed public wishes. We outline these briefly below.
· In January 2007 Deputy Pitman attempted to bring a proposition on behalf of the party that would have led to a direct public vote for the election of the island’s Chief Minister. As has been widely publicised this proposal was blocked by the Bailiff on the grounds that it might have resulted in the election of an individual who: “did not have the confidence of the majority of the members of the House.”
· In the spring of 2007 Deputy Southern brought a JDA proposition that would have initiated a number of wide-ranging reforms. These included a reduction in number of States members, standardised terms of office and the removal of the ex-officio status of the Connétables.
· 2007 also saw a joint attempt by the two Deputies to bring about a direct public election for Chief Minister; this time including a necessity for any States Member wishing to secure the role but not being up for election to stand down and face the public.
· Deputy Pitman also sought to remove the secret ballot process that presently allows the opportunity for election candidates to lie to the public as to their voting intentions. The Deputy again attempted to secure these same reforms in the spring of 2008.
Later this year the JDA will also bring a proposition to split the dual role of the Bailiff as head of both Judiciary and Legislature. With work on constructing the 2008 election manifesto now well under way we can advise members that the Council are re-examining the 2000 Clothier Report in depth. As such, not only will each of the above reforms be under consideration once again but a number of others also. One proposal already all but decided upon is to be the call for a general election. Watch this space…
Political Reform / JDA propositions
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Public Elections (Amendment No. 3)
(Jersey) Law 200- |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.2-2008) comments |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.2-2008) comments |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.65-2008) - amendments |
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Chief Minister election - advance
notice of intention to stand |
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Vote of No Confidence - the
Bailiff of Jersey |
2007
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Electoral Reform (paragraph (a)(i)
withdrawn on 13th March 2007) |
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Electoral Registration - link to
population register |
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Electoral Registration - link to
population register (P.68-2007) - comment |
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Registration of political parties
(P.73-2007) - amendments |
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Composition of the States -
revised structure and referendum (P.75-2007) – third amendments |
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Draft Amendment (No. 7) of the
standing orders of the States of Jersey |
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Chief Minister election -
Island-wide vote |
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Vote of No Confidence - the
Bailiff of Jersey |
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Goods and Services Tax - exemption
for fruit, vegetables and milk |
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Chief Minister - Vote of Censure
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Waterfront Enterprise Board Ltd -
removal of States Directors and Chairman from office |
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Goods and Services Tax - receipts |
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School milk - continued funding
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School milk - continued funding
(P.66-2008) – comments |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.65-2008) - amendments |
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Chief Minister election - advance
notice of intention to stand |
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Goods and Services Tax -
restriction on amendment of 3% rate |
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Goods and Services Tax -
restriction on amendment of 3% rate (P.19-2008) – comments |
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Draft Act annulling the Employment
Relations (Codes of Practice) (Jersey) Order 2007 |
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Public Elections (Amendment No. 3)
(Jersey) Law 200- |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.2-2008) comments |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.2-2008) amendment (P.2-2008 Amd.) – coms |
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Draft Public Elections (Amendment
No. 3) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.2-2008) comments |
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Millennium Town Park - Funding
from Strategic Reserve (P.1-2008) – comments |
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Millennium Town Park - Funding
from Strategic Reserve |
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