Monday 4 November 2013

Guy de Fawkes - THE ONLY JERSEYMAN TO ENTER PARLIAMENT WITH GOOD INTENTIONS



Tomorrow, 5th November, Guy Fawkes Day, the States of Jersey will commence one of their miserable and interminable debates on reform of the electoral system that have been ongoing for over a decade. The outcome, which will probably follow three days of discussion, will be nothing much. The political class are paralysed, incapable of democratising and modernising for fear of losing control of a gerrymandered system that has served them well for 60 years, if not several centuries. Meanwhile that same political class ignores 70% voter abstention at elections and remains oblivious to their own lack of legitimacy.

Since the gerrymander of Option B fell at the last hurdle, the political class has changed tack, saying that reform is no longer important and that we should move on to “more important things”. The media continues to winge that the States failed to implement Option B even though it has a majority in the Referendum, on the basis that if they repeat a lie enough times someone is bound to believe it.
Whilst for many there is simply a groan of resignation, for others there is increasing indignation and impatience.  What is to be done, is as ever, the smouldering question.


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