Inside the States

The States of Jersey met on 25 March 2009 and, among other things looked at interim redundancy payments and the future of the child protection. 

They were also due to decide whether to hand back the annual £1000 pay increase but they decided to put that off until June.

It was the Constable of St Peter who wanted his colleagues to give up their annual pay increase.

Constable John Refault feels that with so much uncertainty at the moment, people losing their jobs etc, the States should show solidarity and make the gesture of not accepting the annual rise.

It's already been partly included in their wages because it starts to come in on January the first, but if they debate this later and it succeeds it'll kick in later in the year.

The delay in the debate came about because the independent body set up to recommend the level of pay for States Members is still reviewing the situation.

That review is only a few weeks away from completion, so Constable Len Norman felt it would be better to wait until that review is ready. He was also concerned about what affect holding this debate now would have on the panel and other independent panels.

Constable Norman told the States: "I think it is always better to have an informed debate, an evidence based debate if you like with the information that we are going to get from the panel.

"I do think it is discourteous to attempt to second guess the panel before they have completed their work, it has only got a few weeks to go as we know, to impose our views on what they are going to say before we know what they are going to say.

"If we start doing that sort of thing I wonder how many people are going to step forward to serve on panels to guide us, if we start guiding them before they complete their work."

They decided to delay everything until June but the Constable of St Peter said it wasn't about the level of pay or what it should be but recognition of the difficult situation many islanders were finding themselves in. Those that weren't receiving annual bonuses, or who might be facing redundancy.

The next debate to look out for will be the one on GST exemptions. Deputy Carolyn Labey is giving the new house the chance to debate this again after it was rejected by the old house.

That's the zero rating or exemption of basic foodstuffs and domestic energy. That debate should happen on 7 April 2009.