Manifesto

The primary focus of the new States must be economic recovery and future resilience. I wish to see fresh investment in our infrastructure, our town and both harbour areas, making them better places to work and live in. I commit to continue vigorously defending Guernsey’s autonomy and constitutional rights, seeking the best outcomes for the Bailiwick post Brexit including new opportunities with the rest of the world for local businesses.

Brought up in a traditional family of farmers and growers and speaking Guernesiais, I’m as passionate about our island as you can get! I have also benefited from living part of my life in London and Paris.  

 First elected in 2000, my service has included: Deputy Treasury Minister, Home Minister, Deputy Chief Minister & Chief Minister.

Elected onto Policy & Resources in 2016 I was appointed to the newly-created role of Minister for External Affairs. Speaking French has been useful in forging stronger relationships with France & the EU especially in the more intense Brexit environment. 

With graduate and post-graduate qualifications in French, Music, Philosophy & Theology, after university I worked a while for the UK government. Returning to Guernsey most of my working life has been involved in ordained Christian ministry and the third sector especially in the areas of governance, reform and leadership development. 

I have a keen interest in music, the arts, history and community wellbeing and served on the boards of several charities and non-profit organisations locally and internationally.

Whilst awaiting the outcome of the Review on Secondary Education Models, it’s my personal view that a ‘three college model’ of some form would be the consensus preference of teaching professionals, parents and the community as a whole; my views are shaped by experience on the Education Council in my first term which proposed a similar model, acceptable to the majority of educationalists at the time. Back then the Assembly chose to retain the 11+ so the idea was rejected, nevertheless I have seen nothing since to indicate that we could not make it work now. On this basis I laid an amendment in the recent Education debate to move toward such a ‘three college model’. However the States chose instead to review all viable models again and it will ultimately be for the next Assembly to decide on the basis of that evidence, and implement swiftly.

I helped promote restorative justice during my first term and still feel that our justice system needs reform so that resources are focused more effectively on what keeps us a safe and secure jurisdiction. I recently drafted an amendment on cannabis for medicinal use and associated enforcement reforms. Our criminal justice system is not the place to deal with drug misuse, it needs to be treated as a public health matter.

I remain an avid supporter of our unique island culture and history, especially its French and Norman influences which could be in danger of being lost in the general homogenisation of all things today. Our forefathers made an effort to maintain historic buildings, ancient names, laws and customs which could have so easily been lost in the pursuit of convenience. Having campaigned for some time for our Guernsey language I was pleased support was recently agreed and especially my proposals passed which make both Guernesiais and French official languages of Guernsey alongside English. At the very least this reflects the fact that whilst we are grateful for strong ties with both England and France, we are ‘ni anglais, ni français’ as I often quip. There has already been a rise of interest from overseas and there is so much more we can do together in the future through our identification with Victor Hugo and Hauteville House, the common marine environment and the blue economy, agriculture and the Guernsey breed.

A GUERNSEYMAN WHO VALUES BEING LOCAL

I have also continued to help individuals in my parish and across the island during this term with matters such as planning and development issues, social housing, taxation, education etc., as well as meeting and discussing matters with many regularly at the monthly political surgeries held at the Castel Douzaine Room.

I have been actively engaged on social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, and have sought to persevere on some of the more hostile online forums and debates on certain issues where others have felt the environment too ‘toxic’. I certainly prefer it when others are not rude or vindictive when expressing their opinions, and in my experience there is a better chance to see progress and change when we speak civilly to one another, but I would rather someone expressed their views in whatever way they can than not at all. A People’s Deputy cannot please all the people all of the time, but he or she should uphold free speech and I often feel we live in an age when this seems increasingly under threat.

At the same time I believe as a People’s Deputy I should be tough skinned and I should lead by example and so I seek to express my views and engage in public debate as peaceably as possible, seeking to listen to and understand alternative and opposing views because I have found that is the only way I can learn if I am wrong and amend my views accordingly.

Therefore I believe it is important for all of us as States Members, whatever our role is, to be as accessible as possible, in as many ways as possible, and to engage with those we represent proactively and willingly. 

There are dozens of issues facing our great island community which I could write at length on - transport, taxation, tourism, health, waste, digital connectivity, education, the ecology and climate change, etc. I'd rather hear from you though, on what you consider to be the burning issues of the day. Otherwise this manifesto will be too longwinded and unwieldy! So please contact me either through this site or via email, phone or twitter.

The various hustings and events organised by interest groups which I can attend will be posted on my social media and this website. I aim to do some walking and door knocking over the campaign period, but I will most certainly not cover the whole island. Nevertheless I look forward to hearing your views either by email, phone, social media or at and event if not on the doorstep too. I will be writing more about the issues you have raised as they crop up during the campaign on my blog page HERE.

You can also find out what others are saying about me HERE and on the social media links.

Thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this.