Financial prudence

By Sir Philip Bailhache

The Jersey Liberal Conservatives are sometimes asked what differentiates them from the Alliance Party which is, in some respects, synonymous with the current Government. One answer is that the JLC is committed to financial prudence. By contrast, the Alliance Party has an attitude to spending and borrowing which is very different. For centuries Jersey has not had a national debt. The Island has paid its way and been proud of that independence from any creditor. The so-called Debt Framework lodged by the Treasury Minister, (a member of Alliance) on 10 August 2021 reveals that that proud history is coming to an end. Jersey is going to become for the first time a debtor nation.

Remuneration of States members

By Pierre Horsfall CBE

Going back a good many years, States members received an allowance based upon their need for financial support. The more you earned privately, the lower was your allowance. For a long time, however, States members have received a salary. When ministerial government was introduced, the idea was that those with particular workloads and responsibilities would receive something extra to reflect those responsibilities. This common-sense approach, which applies in almost every walk of life, was destroyed by a private member’s amendment which called for all members to be paid the same salary.

Transparency is a pillar of democracy

By Sir Philip Bailhache

Transparency in government is one of the pillars of democracy.
This should not be controversial. Every democratic government pays at least lip service to the proposition that it should be open and transparent in its dealings with the public. Sometimes it is more than lip service. Many governments have legislated to ensure that people have access to information in the government’s possession, unless of course there is some good reason why it should not be in the public domain. In Jersey the States Assembly enacted the Freedom of Information Law in 2011. That Law gives the public the right to information held by public authorities. It is a legal right which can be enforced, ultimately by the courts.

A question of freedom

The Government of Jersey has brought forth a further proposed extension of the Covid legislation, to have effect until August 2022. This will allow the government to roll-over the emergency legislation it has imposed since March 2020 for almost another year.

The legislation that underpins all the Covid measures has already been extended once to April 2022. On that occasion there was no debate and not a single member of the States Assembly had any questions or comment on these measures, which have now affected all our lives for more than 18 months.

An inclusive community

By Sir Philip Bailhache

The number of non-British residents of Jersey has grown steadily in recent years. In 2021, nearly 25% of the population comes from or has roots in other European countries. The most numerous come from Portugal, Poland, and Romania but other smaller minorities come from Asia, Africa and the Americas.

More needs to be done, in the view of the JLC, to acknowledge the contribution made to Jersey’s national life by minority communities, and the social and cultural value that they bring to the Island.

Our Healthcare staff deserve better leadership

By Ann Esterson

Stories of a toxic culture at the hospital have been circulating for some time but it still came as a shock recently to hear the extent of it from a whistle blower. It is worrying that a senior medic has to resort to anonymity to bring the deteriorating state of affairs to the attention of the general public. Why has the Government not previously identified the problem and taken appropriate action?

What type of party politics for Jersey?

By Sir Philip Bailhache

With the emergence of the Jersey Alliance to join the Reform and Progress Parties, and the Jersey Liberal Conservatives in the wings, the stage seems set for the emergence of party politics in Jersey. But what kind of party politics?

JLC Launch speech by Susana Rowles

I’m a businesswoman, an ed-tech entrepreneur, so those of you who know me won’t be surprised when I tell you that the JLC is the party of business.

We are also a party with a deep social conscience.

The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we believe that it’s the success of enterprise that will enable us to fulfil our socially liberal agenda. When businesses succeed, we can all succeed.

JLC Launch speech by Sir Philip Bailhache

Welcome to the launch of the Jersey Liberal Conservatives, a political movement which aspires to become a political party to contest the 2022 elections.

As anyone who has trodden this path before will know, it is very difficult to find an appropriate name for a political movement or party. Many people have told Susana and me that they do not like the name. They don’t like Liberal or they don’t like Conservative. Well, I am sorry! I ask you to concentrate on the first word which is Jersey. And surely no one can take exception to that!

What the name does do as a label is to describe accurately what is inside the tin. We are in some senses liberal-minded and in other senses conservative. What we are not, is anything to do with either the Liberals or Lib Dems or the Conservatives in the UK or indeed in any other country. We are Jersey Liberal Conservatives. And I would like to take just a little time to tell you what that means.