Nurse standing for election in hope of shaking up “stale” Assembly

Saturday 30 April 2022

A nurse with 30 years’ experience in the care sector says she has decided to stand for election in St. Clement because she thinks the States Assembly is “stale”.

Karen Wilson, who has worked in large healthcare organisations at Director-level.

She is also currently a Trustee of charity Focus on Mental Illness, which is chaired by St. Saviour election candidate Tom Binet.

"I am standing for election because this Government is stale and under the influence of a self-satisfied bureaucracy used to having its own way," she commented.

"At a time when we face so many difficult challenges, our Assembly needs deputies with experience of running 'big organisations'. We need assertive deputies who can hold senior officers to account, rather than covering up their mistakes."

While she is standing for election as an independent candidate, Ms Wilson said she will work with individuals who share her views.

While she pledged to reveal a detailed manifesto at a later stage, she highlighted three areas of focus: health, entrepreneurship, and charity.

On health and the new hospital, she said she didn't believe that "a healthier Jersey" would be achieved by "repeating the same old mistakes in a new building", adding that the island needs to have an "honest conversation about what is affordable, desirable and deliverable."

Having previously set up and operated her own consultancy business, she said that, if elected, she will "do all I can" to assist those running small businesses. Ms Wilson also said she felt there was more charities could achieve, and that she would use a political role to give them "the chance".

Jersey's election is taking place in June.