Is ministerial government working?

Monday 28 November 2016

States members are being asked to give the go ahead for Islanders to have their say on the future of ministerial government.

St Helier Deputy Judy Martin believes the current set up wasn’t the one ‘sold’ to Islanders seventeen years ago, and isn’t working. She’s now asking States members to approve a referendum to gauge public opinion.

If the States agree, the referendum would happen at the same time as the 2018 general election. She wants a simple, yes/no question: “Do you think Jersey should continue with Ministerial Government?”

In the report attached to her proposition Deputy Martin says: “Currently, Ministers can make ministerial decisions that have a significant impact on Jersey’s population and no-one, neither the general public, ministerial colleagues, nor other States Members not in the executive would be aware this was going to happen, or indeed the reasons for a decision, until (and if) they find it published and then are quick enough to ask the right questions.”

She goes on to claim, “...many of those who promoted ministerial government stated that it would be more 'efficient and accountable', and that one of the safeguards would be that any Member could propose a vote of no confidence in the Council of Ministers. As we know, in practice this does not happen (or very rarely), and today it is seen as the nuclear option.”

Before ministerial government there was a committee system: a president headed-up a team of politicians, usually between five and seven. It meant more politicians were involved in policy making, and decisions were arrived at by consensus. There was no formal scrutiny role.

Despite the Deputy’s apparent cynicism, she notes the result of a referendum, ”...could be a ringing endorsement for ministerial government and a considerable boost for the Council of Ministers and the system we presently operate within, or it could be something else entirely.”