Ministerial picks all going Gorst's way...

Friday 07 November 2014

It’s a clean sweep so far for Chief Minister Ian Gorst, who has seen his chosen picks slot into nine out of ten ministerial jobs.

The States have backed the Chief Minister's nominees to the Treasury, Health, External Relations, Transport, Home Affairs, Economic Development, Education, Social Security and Housing jobs. This morning's session saw two newcomers added to the Council of Ministers - Deputy Rod Bryans has been elected to the Education portfolio and Deputy Susie Pinel has won the Social Security Minster's job. Both candidates were assistant ministers in the departments for the last three years, and succeed ministers who have retired from the States. Also this afternoon, Deputy Anne Pryke - the former Health Minister - took the job of Housing Minister.

Yesterday, Members backed the Chief Minister's nominees by appointing Senator Alan Maclean to the Treasury role (by 29 votes to 18), Senator Andrew Green to the Health role (by 37 votes to 11), Senator Philip Bailhache to the External Relations job (by 41 votes to five) and Deputy Eddie Noel into the Transport portfolio (by 33 votes to ten). They also voted Deputy Kristina Moore into the Home Affairs Minister's role (by 39 votes to seven) and Senator Lyndon Farnham into the Economic Development portfolio (by 35 votes to nine).

Members had a break to attend the funeral of former St Peter Deputy Robin Hacquoil, before returning to action at around 3 pm.

The States have three portfolios left to decide. Senator Gorst's nominations for the remaining posts are: Housing Minister Anne Pryke; Planning Minister Steve Luce; and Social Security Minister Susie Pinel.

Senator Gorst's perfect record so far means that he is in with a chance of being the first Chief Minister to secure all of his first choices for ministerial portfolios.

Each nomination has been challenged from the floor of the House, mostly by members of Reform Jersey, the Island's only political party. They say that it is important that the public and the States know what each prospective minister plans to do, and that Members have the chance to ask would-be ministers questions "on the record" about their plans for the next three and a half years in office.

Whatever the outcome, the States' decisions to appoint new ministers will take a bit of work off of Senator Gorst's plate - as things stand, besides being Chief Minister, he is also temporarily acting as the minister for Education, Home Affairs, Environment and Social Security, as the old ministers have now left the States.