Greater onus on douzaines for "sense of identity" after island-wide election

Wednesday 04 August 2021

Ten months in to the new electoral system, a parish constable believes the way that people connect with deputies has changed significantly.

Guernsey experienced a first last year when the island held its island wide election in October, doing away with parish deputies and giving everyone in the island an opportunity to vote for whoever they want.

Express spoke to Constable Zoe Lihou ten months after the vote, to see how the relationship between parish and deputy has changed, if at all.

"I think there is a greater disconnect," said the St Peter Port Constable.

"Previously parishioners would've had their parochial deputy, and typically they would come along to the first half an hour of a monthly Douzaine meeting. They'd answer any questions on the up and coming Billets - that's ceased now because we are island-wide.

"We have to go directly to the 'movers and shakers' if we want to raise anything," she said.

Pictured: Ms Lihou has been a Constable since being elected last year.

Despite this "disconnect" Ms Lihou said it gives people in the island a "wider shop window."

"In many ways it has flipped it on its head, some people feel a loss about not having some of the deputies in the room. I actually think they are more accessible now, because they are island wide deputies that belong to everyone and not just one parish," she said.

"There are a couple of deputies who are in touch with the States Vet for example, so rather than have a bunch of deputies who live in our parish come to our meetings and get jabbed with stuff, we know who to go to," she said.

Ms Lihou said she can only speak for her parish when asked about maintaining a parish identity in this new system

"In GY1 we have a great sense of identity," she said. "We are quite fortunate that we are quite a large parish, and we are moving forward and doing things for the community as best as we can."

Pictured: St Peter Port has 20 Douzeniers and two Constables.

When it comes down to parish matters and her job as Constable, Ms Lihou hopes to have "contested elections every step of the way".

The next parish election will be held this evening (Wednesday 4 August) and will itself be contested.

Ann Setters, Mary Lowe and Nigel Leale will all be vying for the position left by Constable Martyn Torode, who is leaving the parish.