A “wider selection of candidates” – including some non-British citizens – could be allowed to stand for election next year, if a proposition lodged by an Assistant Chief Minister is backed by politicians.
Deputy Carina Alves is hoping to extend the criteria to become an elected representative to include non-British people living in Jersey who have permanent Entitled status and have passed the Citizenship Test.
If approved, Deputy Alves wants the changes to be implemented in time for the election next year.
The Assistant Chief Minister said: “This proposition is not seeking to remove British citizenship as part of the eligibility criteria, which has been of concern in previous debates.
“Instead, it offers additional criteria to enable a wider selection of candidates to stand for election and allow those who have shown a commitment to Jersey to be involved in the running of decision-making processes of the island.”
In a report accompanying her proposition, Deputy Alves acknowledged that the eligibility criteria for election candidates has been the “subject of numerous debates”.
Most recently, Deputy Monty Tadier’s proposition to extend the right to stand for election to the States Assembly to non-British citizens was rejected with 14 votes for, 31 votes against, and one abstention.
It was the fourth time Deputy Tadier’s proposal to allow non-British people living in Jersey to stand to become an elected representative had been defeated.
Deputy Alves noted the “on-going reluctance to extend the criteria to allow the election of non-British citizens” but explained that it was “important to accept that the characteristics of Jersey’s population have changed”.
“The time has come for this diversity to be reflected in the island’s elected parliament and for it to be truly representative of the diverse and wider Jersey community,” she said.
“It is not my intention to revisit points raised in previous propositions or debates, but to
move forward with a constructive proposition to allow individuals who have shown a
commitment to Jersey to become involved in the making of laws, the determining of
taxes and holding the Government to account.”
Deputy Alves’s proposition seeks to extend the eligibility criteria to include non-British citizens who hold permanent Entitled status.
She explained that a person can only acquire permanent Entitled status in Jersey after “specific, and in some cases lengthy, periods of residence in the island”.
The proposition would also require any non-British citizen standing for election to have passed the the Knowledge of Life (Citizenship Test).
Deputy Alves said that this test can be taken at Highlands College at a cost of £62 – which is “substantially lower” than the £1,500 cost of applying to become a British citizen.
“There are 18 questions based on a book about the United Kingdom and 6 questions about Jersey based on the Jersey Supplement,” she said.
“The latter covers a number of topics including a history of Jersey, a profile of Jersey today and how Jersey is governed.”
You can read Deputy Alves’s full proposition HERE.
It is due to be debated next month.