A shake up to States' make-up

Wednesday 08 February 2017

A proposition promoting inclusivity and helping Jersey's Polish and Portuguese communities to be better represented within the States could be passed next week – just in time for the 2018 election.

Deputy Montfort Tadier will bring the proposal to the States Assembly next Tuesday in the hope of not only making local government more ethnically diverse, but to “iron out” some of the more “absurd” quirks of Jersey law.

At present, non-Jersey British citizens need only to have been resident on the Island for two years before being able to serve as a Deputy or Senator, whereas longstanding French, Portuguese or Polish residents, for example, cannot.

Oddly, however, the election law doesn’t prohibit anyone standing on the grounds of nationality. As Deputy Tadier explained, “Foreign nationals can stand for the positions of senator and deputy – that’s perfectly fine – but were they to get elected, the Royal Court would potentially have to disqualify them from the position.”

Despite this - although perhaps unbeknown to many - such requirements aren't necessary for the role of Parish Constable.

Pictured: Deputy Montfort Tadier speaking at the most recent States Assembly.

Meanwhile, British people with two years' residency who are elected would be eligible to work on the States Employment Board, although ironically would be precluded from some civil service jobs requiring five years of continuous residency.

If passed, the Reform Jersey politician’s proposal would see all non-Jersey candidates have to achieve five years of residency before being eligible to enter the Island’s political sphere.

It would be the final political barrier to come down for foreign nationals, after being afforded voting rights, entry into the Police Force, and eligibility for Jury Service in recent years.

But it’s not just about “cleaning up the rules”, but promoting greater inclusivity within the States.

Pictured: Deputy Tadier's proposal would seek to change the make up of the States, which is currently predominantly white and English-speaking.

“It would give the public and the States more choice, and open us up to new potential for good quality candidates with perhaps different life experience,” Deputy Tadier told Express.

“Of course we’re in a very interesting political time - not just in Jersey, but in the world - and we’re seeing a rise in racism and very divided societies. I think Jersey is different in the sense that we’ve got mixed cultures over here and it’s pretty much a melting pot.

“I think [diversity] is quite healthy, both in practical terms as well as philosophical terms… If you look at the States, we’re all white, we’re all British, we’re all pretty much English as a first language, with the exception of a couple who might have been brought up speaking Jèrriais. So [the legislation] would possibly lead to a much more diverse assembly.”

Another upside would be greater political engagement from other communities, with an appetite already brewing within Jersey’s Polish population.

“There’s certainly movement within the Polish community. I think the Polish business community were very keen to put up a candidate, but there might have been candidates who didn’t have the nationality requirements necessary to take up those positions.”

Pictured: According to Deputy Tadier, members of Jersey's Polish community who had expressed an interest in running for a States role may have been precluded from doing so on the basis of their nationality.

While removing the requirement itself would be easy – and would come at no expense to the public – Deputy Tadier expects there may be some opposition to the “common sense” legislation.

“I think it’s politically charged in the sense that the conservatives will say that it’s not unusual to have a nationality requirement to stand for election, which I think is kind of true, but in this day and age, that needs to be justified.

“But the Jersey context is quite different as well because we are essentially an autonomous parliament and we’re also an Island, which has got a long tradition of people who are not born in the Island and who don’t come from a British background but still take an active part in society and the economy.

“...It’s up to the public to elect who they think is the best person in any given election for the job, and if that happens to be a non-British citizen or a longstanding Jersey resident, why should the law stand in the way of that?”