As a 21 year old female from a working class background, born and raised on the island, I am standing for the position of Deputy in St Helier No1 District because I believe that the States is out of touch with its electors and needs to be modernized. Part of that modernization should be the start of a political party system, to deliver clear policies that voters can expect action on. I am a member of Reform Jersey because I believe that by working together we can achieve more.
One example of the old-fashioned attitude of the States was the recent debate on civil marriage which was derailed and delayed by the Home Affairs minister. Most young people could not see why there was such a fuss. This is a simple equal rights issue and yet in Jersey it has taken over 20 years to outlaw racial and other discrimination.
Another issue that divided people was the issue of statutory paid maternity leave. A proposal for 26 weeks paid through the States maternity allowance was thrown out and will not be debated for a further 2 years. On this issue we are 40 years behind the times when compared to other western countries. As a member of Reform Jersey I will work with my colleagues to introduce this as soon as possible.
I was educated at Haute Vallee School and went on to gain a BTEC level 3 in Media Studies at Highlands college. For the whole of the 3 years of full-time study, I was self-funded, working at a variety of jobs to make ends meet since I had been refused any grant. During my time at college I examined many aspects of life in Jersey, from domestic violence, to the training of army reservists. This included making a documentary on the lack of basic rights for the LGBT community in the island.
The reason I have decided to stand in this year’s election is because I have experienced the way the States of Jersey have neglected to treat their own with fairness and respect.
I stand for the rights of all human beings and will fight for equality in all areas including access to education and employment protection. The minimum wage for example is set at a level which produces in-work poverty and barely covers many people’s rent. Zero- hours contracts must be carefully regulated to prevent abuse and protect employees from exploitation.. If we need to increase taxes In order to protect the standard of our public services, then we should introduce a higher rate of tax for the really wealthy and not raise GST any further.
I believe that Constables are primarily elected to fulfil a vital role in their parishes. They should not automatically be members of the States, though those who wish to take on a dual role should be able to stand as parish deputies. Each parish should have fair representation based on its population.