Comment: The Government You Deserve

Friday 21 September 2018

Dr Stretch Kontelj has written for Express ahead of the upcoming referendum on Island Wide Voting in Guernsey.

The political commentator writes that we will get the government we deserve based on how we vote next month:

Pictured: The five options in the referendum on October 10.

It’s fair to say that you get the government you deserve.

The current elected cohort of Guernsey political representatives is polarised such that much decision making is along personality lines rather than what is in the best interest of the Bailiwick. This isn’t just my observation but is being opening stated by the elected representatives themselves. 

What to do? The people of Guernsey will be given a unique opportunity to fashion the makeup of their elected representatives on Wednesday 10 October when the Island gets the opportunity to vote on the first ever multi-option referendum to decide on the method of electing ‘People’s Deputies’ to the States of Deliberation. 

Five options will be on offer. If no one option receives an absolute majority, the status quo will remain. In my opinion, as matters stand, this is the most likely outcome. The likelihood of an inconclusive vote in favour of any one of the five options is very high. The States have determined that a minimum of 40% of those registered to vote must cast their vote for the referendum to be valid. For an option to ‘determine the day’, it requires a 50% plus one vote. Four of the five options have support groups promoting the virtues of the option. Of these, three are being promoted by high profile sitting Deputies, accordingly, unless the community makes a real effort to educate itself on the merits and challenges of each option, it is highly unlikely that any one option will get an absolute majority in the first instance. This is where it will get interesting, as voters are encouraged to number their options from one to five in a preferential voting system to help determine the ‘most preferred’ option. I will discuss the machinery of the voting system in a follow up article. 

To be eligible to vote in the referendum, you must be 16 years of age on or before 10 October 2018 and have been ordinarily resident in Guernsey for the last two years consecutively or for a total of five years at any time. 

To be eligible to vote, you must be registered on the electoral role by Thursday 4 October 2018. If you were on the electoral roll for the 2016 election and you haven’t moved house, then you are eligible to vote in the Referendum without doing anything more. If however, you have moved house since the 2016 general election, then you need to update your details either by completing a form which can be obtained from the usual government, parish or Constables offices, the Guille Alles library or most conveniently online at gov.gg/referendum or gov.gg/elections. 

Guernsey is at an interesting stage of its history. The sectors of the economy that have to date ridden the crest of a wave that has generated prosperity for the island, namely the finance and service sectors, are under challenge. The population of Guernsey is declining and the number of economic active residents is declining. Add to this the geo-political 

uncertainties swirling across the Channel, makes for an environment where strong decisive political leadership is needed to help determine a vision and purpose for Guernsey that will drive the island forward to prosperity in the 21st Century. The current government is polarised hampering its ability to make decisive decisions. The Referendum gives the residents of Guernsey a historic opportunity to be masters of their own political destiny….but only if they could be bothered! 

Dr Stretch Kontelj OAM

@StretchKontelj

The above is the opinion of Dr Stretch Kontelj writing independently for Baiiwick Express.

Pictured top: Dr Stretch Kontelj.