Select a region
The implications and costs of broadcasting States Assembly meetings via video will be considered by the committee responsible, but it is currently more focused on delivering Simultaneous Electronic Voting.
Deputy Carl Meerveld, President of the States Assembly and Constitution Committee (SACC), told Express that his committee is aware of discussions relating to filming Guernsey’s parliament.
But he said that “the Committee is currently focused on the delivery of Simultaneous Electronic Voting in the Assembly, an initiative which has been under consideration for twenty years, which will also increase transparency, and accountability by recording all substantive votes made by every Deputy”.
Deputy Meerveld reminded islanders that those interested in politics “can listen live to debates through the States website… or on radio - and they can of course watch it in person by attending the public gallery”.
This is why I'm keen that States meetings are recorded visually, so the electorate can see the behaviours. There is a block of deputies who make a point of walking out every time I get up to speak, for example. This is not how grown ups should behave, let alone parliamentarians.
Pictured: Concerns over deputies etiquette in States meetings led to Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez expressing her support for cameras in the room.
Since those calls were made, Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, suggested on social media that she would raise the issue of livestreaming public planning meetings.
She later told Express: “As a committee, we have recently increased our efforts to publicise upcoming Open Planning Meetings and their outcomes through the media and social media.
“As part of a discussion on making sure there is good accessibility for OPMs, the potential for livestreaming was raised at the last committee meeting. Officers are currently investigating the practicalities and associated costs of this option.”
She added that no final decisions have been made in relation to this.
Pictured: Deputy Yvonne Burford hosting a Scrutiny hearing.
Hearings held by the Scrutiny Management Committee have been livestreamed and uploaded to YouTube since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic.
You can view previous hearings held by the committee by clicking HERE.
Deputy Yvonne Burford, President of Scrutiny, said the recording and streaming system was “relatively easy to set up” and that public feedback has been “positive” since its introduction.
“A robust network is needed as well as a suitable venue, but it was straightforward apart from one or two minor teething problems,” she said.
“Livestreaming - and video recording - public hearings allows for many more people to watch the proceedings. It enables people to watch it after the event if they are not free at the time and it facilitates media outlets in obtaining accurate quotes from participants and putting information out to a wider audience still.”
Pictured (top): Deputy Carl Meerveld.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.