Election 2008

I was born and brought up in St. Peter's and went to the parish primary school. For three years, from 2004 to 2006, I was a parish Constable. I am now a Douzenier and was elected as chairman of the Guernsey Douzaine Council in January this year. This is a summary of some points made in my manifesto;

Dealing with the consequences of 'zero-10' will be the most important challenge for the new States. Bringing in the income tax reductions on company profits on 1 January 2008 rather than phasing them in over three years, as would have been sensible, has compounded the effect of the deficit.

Rising salaries in the private sector will compensate for tax increases to a large extent but public sector investment and operating costs will be under severe pressure. The Government Business Plan (GBP) only makes allowance for the expenditure of £20 million a year on capital projects and some of this is designated for maintenance. How capital expenditure is prioritised, when there are so many essential projects in the pipeline, will define the success or failure of the incoming States.

Large sums of taxpayers' money are dispensed in the grey zone where the public and private sectors meet. Here outside consultants are appointed, building contracts are signed, etc. It is the first place we should be looking at to make savings.

The indecisiveness of the States is partly because we do not have opposing political parties to call the government to account. As a substitute the Scrutiny and Public Accounts Committees must work closely together as effective and constructive regulatory bodies.

One of the hopes for the new States, that we would have a more open form of government, has not been fully realised. Freedom of Information legislation would encourage a climate of openness.