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A plan to create what one States Member called a “windowless ghetto” for migrant workers in Jersey was heavily defeated in the States Assembly on Wednesday.
However, despite overwhelmingly rejecting a proposal by Deputy Rowland Huelin to get States-backing for private-sector-funded accommodation for up to 500 temporary workers for the next three years, politicians did acknowledge that finding suitable housing for seasonal and temporary workers was an important matter.
They did, however, back one element of the St. Peter Deputy’s plan: asking the Council of Ministers to establish a “departmental investigation” into “longer-term solutions for the housing of temporary workers with a view to a report on the options available being presented to the next States Assembly in December 2022”.
Critics of the main part of the plan included Deputy Huelin’s Ministerial and Jersey Alliance Party colleague Deputy Gregory Guida, who called it a “poorly-written proposition” and Environment Minister John Young, who said it was “unequivocal Planning-busting”.
“I want nothing to do with it,” he added.
The States Assembly has voted to REJECT parts a, b and c and APPROVE part d of Deputy @ChooseRowland’s proposition.
— States Assembly - Jersey's elected parliament (@StatesAssembly) April 27, 2022
Proposition: https://t.co/vx5pwTGjh3.
As amended: https://t.co/lpZx5sXukr https://t.co/KudheGV335
While, States Members did accept the need for more accommodation for migrant workers, many argued that they deserved better quality housing than cabins on brownfield sites or, as Senator Kristina Moore put it, to be living in a “windowless ghetto”.
Deputy Guida queried why the cabins would be temporary when they require electricity, drainage, water and other infrastructure. Others questioned whether this three-year proposal would become significantly longer.
International Development Minister Deputy Carolyn Labey said she had seen a cruise ship in Gibraltar Harbour used to house migrant workers there, which could be an option for Jersey.
Summing up before the vote, Deputy Huelin said he had “not had a kicking like this since my rugby days” but he had “no regrets, because this has unearthed a fantastic debate.”
“To be honest, I’m not worried either way this debate goes, as longs as it starts a process,” he added.
Homes sought for temporary construction workers
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