Well, well, plus ca change plus c’est la meme chose.

For the French-challenged that = (roughly) same old same old

We have lost some dinosaurs, gained some dinosaurs, and the balance between the various axes along which politics divides (left – right;   traditional – modernisers;    green – don’t care;   libertarian – authoritarian)  will be much the same.

Noteworthy about the election:

1    the amazing lack of balance on Radio Jersey, Frank Walker on a “what music do you like” slot 3 days before the election, with a 15″ commercial for the establishment party, and then election night with a panel consisting of expert Adrian Lee (fair enough, a real expert on Jersey election system and voting patterns) and the local representation was Ozouf,  Henwood and Walker!  Election night is probably one of the most-listened to programmes Radio jersey put out, and this is the Panel!

2    the 11 people who got in unopposed, that is over a fifth of the Assembly, including 8 of the 12 Constables.

Oh, and the Minister with the biggest budget of all the departments.

I have 4 propositions down before I leave the States on November 14th.

Fairness  – a  proposal to tax the uplift in value when land is rezoned or gets planning permission

“This proposition is about basic fairness. When land is rezoned or receives planning permission, its value increases by between 80 and 200 times. This windfall gain goes only to landowners, and only those landowners whose land is developed. These huge gains have been going to the owners of land for years. It is government policy which has created these astronomical land values, and it is administrative decisions and political decisions, taken as part of the Planning process, which decide just who it is who, in the Deputy of Grouville’s memorable phrase, “hits the jackpot”.   Like many other issues, this has been discussed for years. I believe it is high time that the government shares in that enormous windfall, so that the revenue can be used for the good of all Islanders. I have added paragraph (d) to make it more focussed – the revenue from the increase in land value will go back into providing rented housing or housing for purchase that is more affordable.”

I am simply asking that the States

a)    declare that this uplift should be taxed in some way,

b)    that the Treasury Minister gets on and produces proposals for the 2013 budget (a lot of background work has been done on this proposal)

c)    the proposal should apply to all transactions starting from now

d)    the revenue from this new tax/levy should be ring-fenced to assist in the provision of more affordable housing, whether to rent or to buy.

 Will the States back this oh-so-radical proposal which has been called for for years?

Society – a proposal to tighten up on shops being allowed to open on Sunday

Some may call me old-fashioned but I think this is important for social reasons. There should be a “special” day in the week when as many people as possible share in a day which is set aside for not-work.

It is  certainly important for economic reasons. More shops open on Sunday means higher prices all round, as the same trading volume is spread over seven days, with the increase in operating costs which would result.

And for reasons of choice for the workers. Yes, some do prefer the option of the extra money, but equally some prefer not to work, and the danger always is that, in fact, there is no choice.

Environment and openness – make TTS publish online what the incinerator is putting into the air and sea, in real time, or as near as possible to that.

A simple proposal. Give the public  (and not just the regulator) full information (as full as is feasible), and not information edited by departments. Of course TTS can add explanatory notes if those might be necessary. It is our information, anyway, we paid for the incinerator, it is our incinerator, and our data.  Early averaged data, which I have seen, shows things which definitely do need explaining.

We will see how that goes!

Standards of government in Jersey – proposal to make standards of truthfulness in the States enforceable

See here and all the sections of this menu for the story of how often States members are deceived by, usually, Ministers. And here, and all sections of this menu also, for the biggest lie of all, sold to the public. It cannot continue, but will they take this step?  Or just adopt the Philip Bailhache version of what is important in the States Chamber? Never mind honesty, but be polite and keep your shoes clean, and wear a tie.

 

Two things: first, Radio Jersey’s guest on Sunday morning’s show Sunday Brunch was Frank Walker who, three days before the election, was free to give a 14 minute election broadcast for the establishment.  This raises massive questions about the BBC’s impartiality, and also it confirms precisely what I wrote on my page “What’s happened to the States?”, namely that the talk of the “discord” in the States has been hyped up to serve the interest of the establishment. For more click here.

Second, Mark Forskitt has told me that Philip Bailhache told the hustings on Monday that he would try to stop the Electoral Commission, which received a sizeable majority in the States because States members realised that our present undemocratic system cannot continue. And this is the candidate of “Reform” Pull the other one, Philip. DO NOT vote for this man.

If you are new to the site or have not visited for a day or two, go to the blog post  below this one for the latest pages and how to navigate the site.

Daniel

Well I think it is, anyway.

Pages on “which way shall i vote” and “St. Mary – Who?”

New pages on

• “Why the lies?” – trying to see what underlies the spin, why do they do it? And what are the effects on the way the States runs its business? and
• “What’s happened to the States?” – a question I am sometimes asked by those who see the reports of the unruly behaviour etc.  This notion helps to get establishment candidates elected – so is there an element of spin? Has it really gone downhill?
• “cover-ups” – pretty clear what that means!
• how 2600 people were “bvanished” in the population debate by manipulating the statistics
• how the Council of Ministers were niot quite accurate about oral questions in other jurisdictions

For clear summary of the site, what to look out for, my favourite pages, see the About this site page.

Happy reading.

Daniel

NEW! My take on St. Mary Deputy candidates.

And a new page on the idea that the States has become all undignified, bad-tempered and unruly. Has it? Is there a reason for this?  This notion helps to get establishment candidates elected – so is there an element of spin?

Should have written this page before – it’s an important one.

Daniel

New page written on “Which way shall I vote?

For a clear view of the key info on the site, and my favourite pages, see the rewritten About this site page.

New page also on cover-ups – reinforces what I claim about lies-and-myths. There is a pattern in the way we are governed and it needs to change.

Hope you enjoy the site.

And no the pages are not that long, compared to anything else we give our time to, a novel maybe or even the JEP. And it’s super value – being free.

Daniel

This busy bee (better than the JEP’s fly) has written lots.

There is a new About this site page, with clear signposts around the site.

For new pages on the “BIGGEST LIE OF ALL” namely the lie/mythabout public spending in Jersey, start here.

Hope you get something useful out of it.

Daniel

I am now dealing with the BIGGEST LIE of all – the “States spending is out of control” myth. For that is what it is – a myth.

We cannot have a sensible discussion on what needs to be done in this island, and how to pay for it, in an atmosphere poisoned by deceit. I was going to use the phrase “smoke and mirrors” but it is not that. I believe that the misinformation is deliberate. You can see for yourself.

Alright then maybe it is just a great big mistake, they all quote each other, no one takes inflation into account, for example, there isn’t any real dialogue in the States as it is a one-stripe government, and we all end up misled.

As a shorthand, however, and as it seems to be the simplest explanation, I will use the words “lies” and “myths.”  Who puts this misleading information about, why do they never correct it, why do they spend so much time and effort persuading us all of something that is untrue, what is the true picture, why does the States so often fail in its duties – all this and more – will be in the pages under the BIGGEST LIE of all heading.

And then – ooops – forgot the environment.  I would be expected to write about that – and point  in the direction of candidates with a genuine understanding of its importance to all policy, indeed to all life.

Daniel

This is a key question, isn’t it? We may have a gut feeling that the island is being run in a way we disagree with, we may watch in disbelief as our coastline is sold off to the highest bidder, we may wonder at the never-ending failure to solve the housing crisis, or unemployment – but hey, at least these guys are successful, they know what they are doing . . . .

So I have started a new area looking at competence. First up a look at the Lime Grove saga, with the view from former head of Property for the States, David Flowers, and former Property Assistant Minister, John Le Fondre. Soon to come:  moving the Tourism office, taking 10 years to set up a Police Authority. suspensions and pay-offs

Daniel

Good evening,

In the last couple of days, I have added pages on

• the Graham Power letter, and the way that leaving out a few words can just change things completely!
• on consulting with the public and then mis-representing their views,
• on the Euro fiasco Part 1, and
• not telling States members what the full cost of the incinerator might turn out to be – “don’t frighten the chickens!“

This evening I hope to add voting records on key issues, more on the Euro fiasco, and how to mislead the House even on something like how long  oral questions go on for in other places!

Daniel

A new page on “Why tell lies?” which introduces a raft (or should that be a collection) of fairy tales straight from the fiction vaults of the States.

Actually I should not be making light of this – here are grown men (Ministers) deceiving their fellow States members and the public. This has massive knock-on effects.

And if you do not trust someone, do you get them to do building work on your house (if you own one that is)? If you do not trust someone, do you buy a car from them? If your child or partner does not trust you, that’s a big deal. I suggest you would treat that as pretty well a top priority.

So the question is, what role will trust play in your choice at voting time?