Watershed States

I'd like one of them, please.

Second day on the 2016 Campaign Trail for me. Our youngest daughter Emily, back for her Easter break from her Vis-Com degree at Bournemouth University joined me in the wind and rain in the Grandes Rocques area to knock on a few dozen doors. Like yesterday - although the weather was almost the opposite - many folk were out, or perhaps away for the weekend. Nevertheless we left note cards to say we'd dropped by, with details of this website and how to contact me if they wanted to discuss an issue. Those that were in and wanted to talk did not tend to want to discuss "an issue" but rather "every issue" you could think of. So  I've made some plans to return to a few homes, as well as to follow up on this blog with some of the issues raised as well as via Twitter and Facebook so that others can join in if they want. 

Those we talked to fell largely into two categories: 

1. Totally ****ed off with everything. It would seem in a couple of cases it was certainly not just the government, but TV, radio, press, media in general, their neighbours, the weather, quality of teachers, "foreigners" (apparently there's only 18,000 of us "real Guerns" left - Cor la me!), parents who can't control their kids, banks, those who work in finance generally, bus-drivers, taxi-drivers, hoards of unemployed youths loitering about (apparently generally at Cobo where I live), the Middle East, Europe, France in particular, Jersey (mentioned at least twice). Reassuring that the moans were very widely spread, but of course the States "should always do something about it." For the few people who expressed this type of view to me today (and it was only about 6 or 7 out of around 30 I spoke to on the doors) it was clear that this current government would be classified as the "Worst States Ever". I didn't have to ask, in fact one person used the phrase several times as soon as she began speaking, "You've all been in for far too long" she opined, "We need to vote at least half of you out and have a new lot in!" When I tried pointing out to the lady that this is basically what happened in 2012, when nearly half the assembly were complete newcomers and a couple were returnees like me, having taken a break from politics, she would have none of it. Apparently we've all be at it for decades, and this certainly makes us the worst States ever - even the Press were saying so now, so there must be some truth in it. Apparently we have made all the wrong decisions on everything, and ignored things we should have been deciding on (I asked for an example, and although she could not think of one, someone from another room shouted "airport runway"). Unfortunately I had not read John Fernandez's interesting take today on this very issue, otherwise I might have pointed her towards reading more than the headlines and the letters pages, but you know, I sort of recognised I was unlikely to win this argument, so I bade her a happy Easter and trudged on to the next door. This lady was probably at the extreme end of the this category, and it was important to recognise her perceptions, but there were others who felt similarly even if they expressed themselves in a more reserved manner.

2. Grateful for the advances made in social policy this term. It was really heartening to speak to again around half a dozen people who each, unprompted, mentioned some issue in the area of equality, disability and inclusion, mental health, pre-school education, Guernsey Employment Trust, extra-care housing, etc., where they evidently were personally aware of the benefits that are coming about because we have taken (for Guernsey) huge strides in these areas during the last term. It was particularly encouraging to note several people recognise that we have managed to take these decisions despite huge financial constraints and a global recession which has caused other governments to back-pedal in social policy areas. One of them said to me "You've all had one of the most difficult terms in living history and I think you've done better than we could have imagined". Not quite "Best States Ever" but I'll settle for exceeding expectations! He also went on to say - as people often do, although I find it annoying - that he could never do my job, and he didn't envy the issues we've had to handle, and the tough decisions to make. These were not people living in unreality - they had frustrations (one family were struggling to rearrange transport for their son and fiancée due to ferry cancellations) but they realised that government has not and cannot have all the answers as it does not control all the variables - neither would we want it to!

The thing is I reckon both of the above groups would therefore agree on this: This has been a Watershed States - a term when some major changes and tough decisions have been made, when a paradigm shift in culture has been initiated, some are threatened by this and others embrace it as long overdue. I might be wrong on this, but this would make sense.

Of course I'm being economical with the truth here. There is a third category of people we spoke to today - it's those in the middle. They are just not sure about things, not confident about how to vote, what issues are important and in what priority, who to trust - quite a few of these told me they had never voted before. They can see the changes happening, and for some it looks okay, but for others it is all a leap in the dark. One said although it was the first time he'd put his name on the electoral roll he was still not at all confident that he would go and vote on the day. "It just seems like so much could rest on my X in the box" he told me. And he's absolutely right. People have fought and given their lives in the past, and still today in some parts of the world, to win the right - the power - to vote. 

Which is why we should all take it very seriously, think deeply, widely, question thoroughly, and engage with politics and politicians - not just at election times, but in between too.

Your vote is powerful - use it, and use it wisely.

A Day In The Life Of A Deputy

Often people ask me what my average day looks like. The trouble with a question like this is that it's almost impossible to describe since no two days are alike really.

During my first term in the States' Assembly (2000-04) life was certainly a little simpler. For one, I only sat on two committees - Education and Overseas Aid - and although the former was, and remains, one of the busiest departments of government, it was at least quite focused. There were school management committee meetings (I was involved with 6 or 7), sub-committees for ITC, Higher Education, the various curriculums, the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (that was always riveting!), the 11+ border-line panel, interview panels, the Apprenticeship & Youth Employment Board, Off-Island Placement Panels, Post-16, Estates, and various ad hoc sub-groups. It was never dull. Overseas Aid on the other hand consisted of a busy season for around 6 months where the committee met fairly regularly for long hours, short-listing, interviewing and hearing presentations from third sector and charitable agencies who wanted our support for developmental projects or had received it in the past and were accounting for what they had done. The rest of the year was relatively quiet unless a humanitarian disaster occurred in which case we met to decide how to respond from the emergency aid funding.

Welcoming former Liberal Party Leader and UK Deputy PM Nick Clegg to the British Irish Council Summit in Guernsey - Nick is someone who knows the cost of compromise and consensus

Apart from the above, which were small meetings largely unseen or unthought of by the outside world - but where most of a States Member's time is taken up - there were the far more visible Assembly Meetings, beginning on the last Wednesday of every month except August (when we don't meet) and December (when we meet earlier).  States Assembly meetings always get attention because of the public nature of debate and the media interest. Back in those days, the media general restricted themselves to the business of Billets before the Assembly, and rarely was there much in the way of questions, interviews and demands for statements or comments on the matters of committees of on world events.

My, how things have changed!

These days hardly 24 hours go by without a request from one or more of the media for a comment, or answers to a series of questions, or a request for an interview, live or recorded. And it's not just at senior leadership level, it effects all of us far more than ever. I do sometimes say no, or reply with "no comment" but it's much harder to do so without some twist being placed on the fact that one didn't comment such as "Deputy Le Tocq had nothing to say on this matter" or "Nobody from Policy Council was available for interview". Few members of the public would know thereby that the request had come in by email at 1pm asking for a reply or someone to interview by 5pm that day! 

In my second term (2004-08) we saw quite significant changes in the structure and "machinery" of government which resulted in the system we have had until this election - ten departments with a board and Minister overseeing each and a Policy Council made up of the Ministers and chaired by a Chief Minister - none of the Ministers or Chief Minister having any powers however! The number of requests I have virtually every day that I should "fire Deputy X" or "sanction Department Y" or "cease funding the reckless board of Department Z" as if our system allows me even to choose who is on these very boards! It is always the States as an Assembly who decide, and if the States have mandated a particular Department to spend money on a certain policy, only the States can decide to take that power away. Sometimes a member of a Department board (perhaps the Minister or Chief Minister even!) find themselves in a minority of one on an issue. They can shout and scream (and some do) but there is nothing they can effectually do if the majority wish to pursue a different direction. Except resign of course. But if everyone did that each time they disagreed with something, or even felt like they ought to resign, then I dare say there would be little stability or resilience at the decision-making level. 

In my second term I chaired the PSRC - the Pay Master General of the public sector - negotiating pay and conditions, pensions and dealing with employment related issues on behalf of the States as employer. Not a job people were queuing up to do! I was also on Treasury and Resources and became Deputy Minister of the Department for the latter part of the term. T&R was certainly a very busy department, and has without doubt more powers that Policy Council solely for the fact that in the end it is Treasury and not Policy Council that controls the purse strings. The problem for T&R is that it does not have any mandate to coordinate policy, and so that is why a reform of our system was essential. The new Policy & Resources Committee will have the mandate for coordinating policy and managing budgets, whilst the States as an assembly will remain in executive control.

This term as Minister for the Home Department, Deputy Chief Minister and now as Chief Minister, I have been involved with the whole gamut of political decision making in Guernsey, engaging not only within the States itself in order to build consensus but seeking to reach out and work with the Third Sector more, along with the business community and lobby groups. We have seen, through these means, and perhaps social media especially, much greater engagement between policy makers and the public than ever before. This should not be underestimated. I have also really enjoyed the challenge of representing Guernsey externally since being Chief Minister has entailed my representing the island's interests, negotiating with other countries and jurisdictions, working with other Channel Islands and Crown Dependencies, and generally being the "messenger" for States' policies internationally. Between 60-70% of my role now is external facing as without anyone else the Chief Minister fulfils the role of "Foreign Secretary". In the new structure we will have a more dedicated individual role identified (as a member but not the president of P&R) to undertake the increasing demands of foreign affairs which we can no longer expect or rely on the UK to do for us. This is a role I would be very happy to continue to serve in, especially given the current uncertainties in the UK and EU as well as the relationships I have built internationally in fulfilling this function. 

With Richard Harding for my monthly "chat with the chief' interview on IslandFM

I have also "enjoyed" the frustrations of working in our slightly dysfunctional system, but particularly because I knew things needed to change. I entered back into the States in the 2012 election (having decided not to stand in 2008) for a third term feeling a clear mandate to effect change. We will see that after May as the new structure comes to the fore. But this is only one step of a journey. Some frustrations will still remain and it is important for all States Members to realise this early on. For some in the 2012 Assembly it took a long while for the penny to drop about how to work within the system.

In order to achieve anything in our system it is essential to develop the skills of listening, engagement, constructive relationships with others, compromise and consensus, negotiation and much, much patience! Shouting and screaming, as I mentioned above, might get you some attention from the media and a certain section of the population who agree with you, but will not result in positive progress. Thus much of a States Member's time if they are going to be constructive during their term in office, must be spent seeking to work with others, developing alternative routes to a destination (once the destination is agreed of course!) and if in leadership as a Chairman, Minister or President, time taken in seeking to persuade others to do the above, in mediating, cajoling and, as I have often said I spend a lot of time doing, knocking heads together! The lack of inherent discipline in our system  - where we are all independents, independent of one another - means that we have to strive hard to develop focus and commitment in real time, continually. Even if you are scrutinising or opposing a policy this is the case. An independent on his own can do very little except make a noise.

The next term brings in a reformed system of government which the States Review Committee has helped design. It was a privilege to chair this committee as it brought the three main policy letters to the States in order to improve our system of government. This is itself was a compromise: I like a few others on the committee would have liked to see greater reform in a few areas, but was content to achieve the possible at this juncture in order to gain the majority support necessary to make any reform at all. 

Sharing a joke in French before getting down to serious business at our meeting with Commissioner Pierre Moscovici at the European Commission in Brussels