Should they stay or should they go – Constables debate tonight

Monday 06 October 2014

With just over a week to go before Islanders decide whether to keep the Constables in the States in an historic referendum, the Yes/No camps will clash in a public debate tonight.

The event at the Town Hall has been set up to let representatives of both sides have their say ahead of the referendum on election day.

Anyone casting a vote on Wednesday 15th October – or in the pre-poll voting that continues all through this week at St Paul’s Centre in town – will be offered a chance to vote in the referendum, which asks “Should Constables remain as Members of the States as an automatic right?".

The position of the 12 Parish Constables in the States has been the sticking point for reform of the States Chamber, with its unusual mix of three kinds of politicians with equal voting rights but different sizes of constituency.

The Constables are largely conservative-leaning, so States Members on the political left want to get rid of them, while Members on the political right want to keep them.

Islanders were effectively asked the same question in a reform referendum 18 months ago – the result of that vote was 55% in favour of the States having 12 Parish Constables and 30 Deputies split into six districts, and 45% in favour of no Constables and 42 Deputies in six districts. But despite the referendum, politicians still couldn’t agree on a reform proposal.

Both sides will field three speakers at the Town Hall meeting from 7.30 pm tonight, alternating for five minutes each, followed by questions from the floor.

The “Yes” camp will be represented by Constable Steve Pallett, St Martin Deputy Steve Luce and James Rondel.

The “No” camp will be represented by St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, St Helier No 2 Deputy Sam Mezec and Mike Dun.