If elected I would hope to bring alternatives to the chamber.
I am a flexible, out of the box thinker with a wide skills band and keen analytical abilities. I would want to bring value to any role that was required of me and would work conscientiously to provide solutions to Jersey’s many problems.
My primary focus would be on St. Helier district no. 2, but I would like to think of myself as being easy to approach on an island-wide basis as I believe once elected to the States, the issues that one must decide upon are relevant across all parishes. Jersey is a small island that needs its representatives to be alert to a wide range of difficulties and issues that are not solely restricted to the more populace districts.
Of course I would like to see reform of the chamber and will lobby for and vote for the removal of the constables and the downsizing of the current elected representation. We have to know that we are over represented and that the representation that we currently receive is out of balance with the ever-expanding population.
Tax is the real issue and for those whose income is stressed by the heavy hand of the Exchequer, the need to debate a fairer approach to taxation is well over due. Light needs to be shed upon some of the more opaque aspects of taxation in the island and it seems an appropriate moment to move in the direction of greater transparency on all things tax. Who we tax, whom we don’t tax, what we tax and what we don’t tax, are all up for grabs and I am prepared to ask those challenging questions. In these more chastened times and with the tightening of budgets in all sectors, it seems right to start asking who pays what and who can afford to mitigate their tax liabilities. I would like to see, and will lobby for, the removal of GST on food and also school uniforms, which are both a burden to low income families at a time when children are growing exponentially. A free school bus service for all children would lessen the traffic congestion on the island’s roads.
The coastline and the environment are essential free spaces for everyone to access and use responsibly, but we have seen the pressure applied upon these spaces over the years and this must be addressed. The over development and the continued degradation of Jersey’s environmental heritage needs greater checks and balances to reduce further damage. I will lobby for the removal of ultimate powers granted to the Minister for Planning and Environment in cases of serious concern.