Ant Lewis for Senator
I will be a new champion for Equality, Community and the Environment. I am a different candidate, with a different voice who will run a different campaign – but ‘different’ is just what Jersey needs.
Why am I asking for your vote?
My commitment to you:
Equality
- I will be a Champion in the States for equality in our society.
- I want everyone, disabled and able bodied, treated the same. I feel a stigma. I want to remove the barriers in society. We need more support.
- I want to see a Minister for Equality in the States.
- I want to move mental health higher up the political agenda. More understanding and reduced stigma. One in four people have a mental health issue.
Community
- I will propose combining the existing hospital site with Parade Gardens as a campus-style hospital, with lower buildings set in green parks and gardens.
- We need a tight-knit community.
- Work, work, work. We need to have healthy lifestyle and balance.
- I will support sensible measures of population control. Population forecast is 128,800 by 2035.
- I will support the creation of social enterprises for communities.
- I believe in a major revival of the role of parishes in community life.
- I support all healthy and sporting activities, such as the proposals for a new skatepark.
- I want the creation of a modern community sport and health centre at Fort Regent.
- I want no GST on healthy foods like fruit, vegetables and milk, to improve lifestyle and reduce obesity.
Environment
- I will be a louder voice in the States for the environment.
- I want to see an Environment Ministry, separate from Planning.
- I want more support for the Jersey National Park and the Island’s cultural heritage.
- We need a ban on single-use coffee cups.
- We need more recycling. In Norway, 96% of bottles are recycled, but in Jersey? Let’s do it.
- We need to support the use of lower emission vehicles, electric public transport, and more cycle ways.
- We need all new homes to be required to have solar panels, with discount incentives for homeowners.
About me
Age: 49
Education: St Mary’s Primary School, Les Quennevais and Hautlieu (Head Boy, 1986/87)
Employment: Jersey Evening Post (reporter, news editor, assistant editor), Channel 103 (news editor)
Career highlights: Organising Side By Side show of public support by 5,000 Islanders in St Ouen’s Bay after 2004 Boxing Day tsunami; walking the 2010 Jersey Marathon over six days; taking part in the 2012 Olympic Torch relay; leading group of 112 Islanders who cycled from London to Paris in 2012; keynote speaker at the 2018 CI Equality and Diversity Awards.
Recognition: NUJ (Jersey branch) Journalist of the Year; CI Sports Personality of the Year Awards Achievement of the Year award; UK Stroke Association’s Life After Stroke Awards winner of the 2012 Adult Courage Award.
Family: Three sons: Rhys (23), Joe (11) and William (5), and grandson Milo (1).
