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I have been told, "All States members want to be Ministers or Assistants because then they get free blackberries and their phone bills paid for, whilst Scrutiny members have to pay for their own calls". Pathetic, but probably true.
I like to look at the various panels as the effective opposition to the Minsters, now by effective opposition I mean that they are responsible for looking into the detail of propositions, identifying weaknesses and omissions and generally ensuring that any legislation arising is fit for purpose.
So:
- Treasury and Resources is vetted by the Public Accounts Committee,
- Economic Development is vetted by the Economic Affairs panel
- Home Affairs & Education, Sport & Culture is vetted by Education & Home Affairs
- Planning and Environment is vetted by Environment
- Housing & Social Security & Health and Social Services is vetted by Health, Social Security and Housing
- Transport and Technical Services is vetted by Corporate Services
There is some disparity here and it would seem more sensible that each department be vetted by its own individual scrutiny panel.
The first thing that you notice is that the two biggest spending departments, Social Security & Health are vetted by a single panel which also oversees Housing. So entrusting this massive responsibility to the newly elected Deputy of St Peter, Kristina Moore is perhaps a sign of the relative importance of the scrutiny panels, the very issue which caused such commotion last session.
With all due respect to Miss Moore, the experience of being a journalist is hardly a qualification for vetting the most heavily over-spending departments in the States of Jersey, but I salute her courage in taking on the position when no one else stepped forward, she embodies just the 'can-do' attitude that many of her fellow members should be encouraged to follow.
Whilst wishing the best to Miss Moore, I am afraid I am fearing that Scrutiny will be ineffective once more, which raises the question of why we pay good money to operate it.
No doubt many will wonder at the decision of Deputy Tadier and his fellow progressives not to seek the Chair of the various panels, but in essence they are listening to the people of Jersey. They are not simply going to slot back into their old positions. I am sure that they will be at least as effective, if not more so, by taking a backbench approach and bringing key propositions on a wider range of issues.
In the absence of an effective means of making the voice of the people of Jersey heard in the Chamber and fulfilling the primary duty of a States Member, representing the electorate, these backbench members may be the most effective of all.
Perhaps what we see is a “hardening” of the opposition. There has been a de facto withdrawal from the Scrutiny process by those with the capability to do the work. The Committees are now headed by non entities or lightweights. Loyalist will be duly assigned posts and expected to do no more than turn up from time to time to keep meeting quorate. In other words it will be a complete farce.
ReplyDeleteGood. Scrutiny is dead. The COM centralised power and expected the opposition to give legitimacy to this with the veneer of democratic oversight. The COM have no need of Scrutiny. They probably do not care it is dead. There will be no difficult questions or embarrassing reports, just nice cosy chats around the fireside – “Tell us how its going Minister? The family all well?”
All this might alert the Jersey public to the fact that something is seriously wrong, however it doubtful. They won’t be able to put their finger on it of course. They will assume it’s just the rough and tumble of the sort of politics they do not participate in nor take any interest - simple noises off.
The spoilt votes are just the beginning. The media managers and senior politicians realise this and hence their amasement and anger. Some is not playing by club rules – expel them!
The system is cracking. The polarization will be more evident in the new house. The electorate deserves the incompetents it voted for in the belief it would ensure stability. The States will in fact be more raucous. Meanwhile, the authoritarians in PPC will be devising ever more absurd restrictions. Let’s hope Sir Philip gets a seat amongst the rule makers. I shall be cheering the rule breakers.