Ministers: thank God it's Friday!

Friday 20 January 2017

It's been a bad week for Jersey's Ministers, and one of the Island's leading Constables has described it as the worst States meeting she has experienced in more than ten years in government.

St Mary Constable Juliette Gallichan spoke out as Ministers' keynote plans to borrow up to £400m for a new hospital were sent back for more information - Members just didn't believe they had been properly thought through.

The debate was derailed following a query from St John Deputy Tracey Vallois as to whether borrowing £400m - which the Island has never done before - was actually legal or not. When combined with an existing loan of £250m to pay for new housing, it puts the States very close to the borrowing limit set by the Public Finances Law, under which the Island cannot borrow more than its annual tax receipts. 

To get over the line, Ministers needed the new Long Term Care Charge to be classified as a tax - something they have always been adamant that it isn't - and so count towards that total, and the Solicitor General had to be called in to confirm that in this particular case, the charge should legally be seen as a new tax. 

Reform Jersey member Deputy Montfort Tadier said: "The Council of Ministers will have to issue a press release because at the last election they were saying that it's not a tax, it's a charge; I'm sure the international community will be interested in the fact that we no longer have a headline rate of tax of 20%, but we have a headline rate of 21% and going north as we go along. Who knows where it will end up? Like GST?"

That decision came directly after the controversy surrounding the Innovation Fund which claimed one Ministerial scalp, with a warning that others may follow. There was also a tetchy exchange between the Island's two most senior public figures - the Bailiff and the Chief Minister - over whether Senator Philip Ozouf should be able to take questions after reading his resignation statement.

In the midst of that issue, Members were also dismayed that the statement was leaked on Twitter before it was made in the States. 

Constable Gallichan said: "In the 11 years I've been in the Assembly, for lots reasons, for the lack of clarity, for the lack of clear procedure, for the behaviour of some members in various contexts, it's the least satisfactory sitting of the States that I ever been party to. 

"We have to do better, we must do better ... we are not doing ourselves any favours, we really are not, and the public must have the confidence that we understand what we are doing it  and that we are doing it for the right reasons. There are now much bigger questions to be answered by us as an assembly than simply this matter. But this must go to Scrutiny; there is no alternative to that now."

So far, it is still to be confirmed that Senator Ozouf has sent his letter to the Chief Minister "stepping aside" from his ministerial duties, and that his decision has been accepted by Senator Gorst - who is also due today to decide who will be taking over those duties.