IoD backs proposed States committee changes

Wednesday 24 October 2018

Leading business figures are supporting efforts to bring in five year terms of office for politicians in Guernsey, while cutting the number of deputies who would sit on each States committee.

The Guernsey branch of the Institute of Directors said it supports the amendment from Deputies Gavin St Pier and Heidi Soulsby which would allow States members to consider how many States members should sit on each States committee, while also seeing merit on Deputy St Pier and Deputy Ferbrache's suggestion of extending the four year term of office to five.

The IoD represents nearly 800 members across the Bailiwick with John Clacy the Chairman. Its members predominantly come from the financial services and ancillary services sector with a third coming from other sectors. 

Speaking on behalf of them, Mr Clacy said that the Guernsey branch "supports the amendment from Deputies Gavin St Pier and Heidi Soulsby which would allow States members to consider how many States members should sit on each States committee."

He said it is the IoD’s view that, "a reduction in the number of States representatives on committees would increase focus and accountability, while providing a clearer distinction between those deputies involved in policy formation and those responsible for scrutiny.

"The change would also provide a greater opportunity for committees to attract and include non-States members who could make a meaningful contribution, ensuring the island leverages the talents of the entire community in support of policy formation."

Mr Clacy's stance mirrors the reasons given by Deputy Soulsby earlier this week, after the amendment was lodged on Friday.

Pictured: Deputies St Pier and Soulsby want to reduce the number of deputies who sit on each political committee. 

Deputy Soulsby said changing the current rules would allow each States member to focus on one work stream at a time, and that it could also work hand in hand with the planned reduction in the size of the civil service.

"From my point of view it is simply a natural progression following the reduction of Deputies arising from the machinery of government changes at the beginning of term," said Deputy Souslby.

"Also, it means that more members can focus on one Committee full time, rather than is the case at the moment.

"I believe if the Chief Executive Officer’s recently announced plans have any chance of working, with the elimination of dedicated Chief Secretaries to Committees and new Strategic Leads having responsibilities split across various Committees, there will be a greater requirement for Deputies to spend more time focused on a single Committee."

Mr Clacy added that, having non-elected members involved in policy making decisions would add to the effectiveness of our trimmer government and civil service.  

"We believe the right non States members, with the right brief add to the experience, effectiveness and overall governance of the committees."

Pictured: Deputies Gavin St Pier and Peter Ferbrache, who want to see politicians terms of office extended to five years.

The IoD Chairman said it also "sees merit" in the amendment proposed by Deputy Gavin St Pier and seconded by Deputy Peter Ferbrache which would see the length of a term of office for a Deputy increase from four to five years.

Mr Clacy said it could work well, "given the difficulty the States have had historically in forming and implementing policy within a four-year term."

Some people who voted for Option A at the recent referendum aren't happy though, saying they supported that option because it offered the chance of electing 38 deputies on an island wide basis, to serve four year terms of office.

Mr Clacy said, “having had a clear mandate from the referendum to change Guernsey’s electoral system, the IoD encourages the States of Guernsey to implement these further pragmatic measures which will help make a success of island-wide voting from 2020," adding that "whilst it may have been timely to have included the 5 year term in the referendum nonetheless we believe it has merit in giving the house more time to implement its agreed mandate."

Deputy Ferbrache, who was on the official campaign group for Option A, said he doesn't see any contradiction with the recent referendum result either.

"The electorate decided two things," he said. "The first is that the people want Island wide voting.

"The second is that they want the chance to elect all the deputies."

Deputy Ferbrache said the proposals to change elections to every five years doesn't change that. 

Pictured top: John Clacy.