I am standing for re-election as Deputy of St Helier Central as a Reform Jersey candidate. As a businesswoman and having done voluntary work, I have broad knowledge and experience which has helped me to make rounded decisions during my time as a deputy.
To address Jersey’s high cost of living, I supported the removal of GST from food, and limits on rent increases. I brought an amendment to reinstate mortgage interest tax relief for homeowners and to abolish it for buy to let landlords. I led my panel to bring an amendment to the common strategic policy which paved the way to free GP appointments for children, and to the budget for universal funded nursery care. I got the Reuse Centre up and running again, now as a centre for reusable disability equipment. I’ve been looking at ways to increase revenue to ensure a balanced budget, and we are ideally placed to launch a Bank of Jersey, which if run along similar lines to the Bank of Gibraltar, could bring in £millions of revenue each year, as well as increasing Jersey’s resilience in an uncertain world and offering benefits to islanders.
I’ve held weekly constituency meetings in the Town Hall which gave me the opportunity to meet and discuss many issues with town residents. I’m a strong supporter of the new youth centre, which will be a fantastic facility for our young people. I have parish agreement to lead a group to address poverty among St Helier’s children which I hope to launch after the election.
I led the Online Harms review, the Apprenticeships and Lifelong Learning review and the Secondary Education Funding review and am determined to see the recommendations followed through. No thought was being given to online harms by government until I led the review, and I’m hopeful that this will help to protect our children into the future. In my role as Chair of Children, Education, and Home Affairs, I’ve been made aware of the dangers on the roads, so I brought the successful proposition to curtail illegal lifts, and to bring in a lifetime driving ban for those who kill or seriously injure someone on the roads. As Vice Chair of the Assisted Dying review panel, I’ve worked hard to ensure there are full safeguards in place. As Chair of the Ecology Fund, I’ve been proud to have supported projects which protect our coasts and countryside. I’ve also played an active role as Vice Chair of the Parishes and Government review panel, and member of the Legislation Advisory panel.
I have been a very hard-working deputy, working collaboratively for more fairness and better opportunities in our beautiful island and I ask for your vote.
Names of Proposers and Seconders
- Samuel Yves Mézec
- Gary Antony Feltham
- Laurie Louise Nemwati
- Glen Perotte
- Kevin Proctor
- Eric Falla
- Emma Gamble
- Tobias Oliver Gascoyne Forrest
- Kevin Jon O’Connell
- Julie Martine Allen