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Thursday 18 September 2014

JERSEY SENATORIAL ELECTION - A THREE TIER FIGHT? AND THE FUTURE LOOKS BLEAK


Heading for a well-deserved exit?

So the Jersey Senatorial campaign is finally upon us and though most people seem as excited about the line-up as someone on their way to the dentist here at 'Not The State Media!' we thought we would bow to Trevor's drive to try and get the debate rolling with some early and deliberately brief thoughts on who is most likely to come out smiling when the Fat Lady hits her final note on October 15. Thoughts, we would stress, that are not our preferred outcome for the betterment of the Island - but rather what appears the most likely outcome as we stand now!

In Trevor's view - and we have to say he has us convinced - what we are looking at here is likely to be a 'three tier' political struggle of near certainties, possibles and almost certainly nots with both the eventual poll-topper almost impossible to call with any confidence and only one seat truly up for grabs. Far worse being the suspicion that if you want positive change and an end to the 'Jersey Way' of self-interest and cronyism it is sadly looking like that trip to the dentist would be a whole lot more exciting - unless the very real prospect of Senator Philip Ozouf biting the dust is enough to get you doing handstands...

Our Top 7 - 'The Near Certainties' (sadly)..



The 'Anchorman' heading for the top?

Sarah Ferguson aside - right-winger or not she is certainly her own woman and not a Bailhache butt-kisser - we repeat the 'Not The State Media!' team would never consider a vote for any of these candidates. Yet the questions within this top echelon and their potential impact to still swing things crazily do remain truly fascinating. For example. Could Paul Routier still gain election yet again even if someone should ask him bluntly why all he has done of note in over 20 years is give free prescriptions to multi-millionaires? Likewise after three years of calamity and contempt - and even with the continued rabid backing of Jersey's State Media - could Philip Bailhache really still con enough voters that he is in any way competent to shape the futures of ordinary people if they sought out the facts beyond the spin? 

We will of course do a more detailed post outlining individual analysis on all of the above candidates and attempting to answer these and many more questions at a later date. In the meantime however what we feel must be stated is that in our view only one certainty can be proclaimed about the whole six we tip alongside Sarah Ferguson for success: This being that though the reasons may differ all the way from cowardice to contempt if elected not a single one of them will put the interests of the ordinary Islander first - let alone those abandoned down at the truly sharp end of three terms of ministerial economic myopia. They are Establishment to the very bone. You have thus been warned...

1. Senator Alan Maclean.
2. Senator Ian Gorst
3. Deputy Andrew Green
4. Senator Philip Bailhache
5. Senator Sarah Ferguson
6. Senator Paul Routier
7. Senator Lyndon Farnham
8. ???

5 into 1 won't go - 'The Possibles'...



The best of the 2011 intake but...

This second tier is in many ways the most intriguing of all. For just as the predicted Top 7 is in no way based on ability or commitment to the interests of the majority the success or otherwise of the five 'possibles' below hinge hugely on a few factors almost impossible to predict. For example: whilst current St. Brelade No. 1 Deputy John Young stands out head and shoulders above the rest of the States 2011 election intake has he given himself a high enough profile to now carry this predominantly excellent work forward? 

On the other hand can the undoubtedly articulate Anne Southern get beyond the country parish disdain for husband Geoff to secure enough votes to support the likely ones from the urban parishes? Can Malcolm Ferey dispel the seemingly widely held view that he has cynically exploited his position at CAB for political ambition - or that he is in reality just another Establishment Party wannabe? Perhaps most fascinating of all can the previously 'dead in the water' Philip Ozouf now exploit the untimely retirement of Senator Alan Breckon - a man sure to have beaten him to somehow scrape home? Such questions could yet dramatically swing the whole political outcome and send any of the five up or down...

1. Deputy John Young
2. Anne Southern
3. Malcolm Ferey
4. Dr Zoe Cameron
5. Senator Philip Ozouf

And the 'Almost Certainly Nots'


Desperate for Power

Its sad to find ourselves listing some of the candidates below within this bottom tier for its likely they include people who would be of the very best benefit to the wider Island community. At 'Not The State Media!' we simply feel some of these will likely fail due to a variety of realities it is often difficult to circumvent. For example: Christopher Magee's platform on legalising cannabis is a brave and admirable one. Yet can he get beyond the general lack of awareness of the subject; the country parishes entrenched Conservatism and his being seen - quite wrongly probably - as a one issue candidate? The truth is some of the seven will even fail simply due to a lack of political profile and an understanding of how to rectify this

Can first ever Polish candidate Konrad Krusznski somehow get beyond the sadly lingering insular racism of all too many in Jersey? Can Former Deputy Guy de Faye find a way to convince enough voters that just because he was overbearingly arrogant and also wasted a £100,000,000 of taxpayers money on a technically redundant eyesore incinerator last time around he still deserves another chance? Or in Deputy Sean Power's case should being a man who steals personal email correspondence; supplies it to an internet cyber-bullying site and - even subsequently having been caught - was only last year once again exposed abusing his position as Chair of the Planning Applications Panel to email applicant's personal data to his political cronies not debar him from securing an Island-Wide mandate and with it a likely Ministerial position?

1. Konrad Kruszynski
2. Christopher Magee
3. Deputy Sean Power
4. Shirley Baudains-Osborn
5. Guy de Faye
6. Geoffrey Habin
7. David Richardson

The answer to such fascinating questions are of course entirely in the hands of we the voters. And this is the way it should be. All we at 'Not The State media!' would say to the electorate is make sure you really do your utmost to find out the truth behind the glossy 'manifestos' and mainstream media propaganda for Establishment candidates. For if you don't - just as we found we had no choice but to predict - you will likely be getting a whole lot more of the same and what is more you will wholly deserve it.

Have fun! At least while there is still hope for change...

Post by 'Not The State Media!' 18/09/2014







34 comments:

  1. Shall you be looking at the shenanigans in St Ouen? Renouf chairs the States complaints board, a clear friend of the establishment party. He faces a contested election but not a real opponent. Labey was widely expected to stand in his home parish of St Ouen, but mysteriously goes for St Helier number 1 at the last moment. It has a bad smell.

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  2. A very thought provoking post. Unfortunately Trevor and NTSM! I think your predictions may be spot on. One thing for sure. With eleven uncontested Constables its time to remove these undemocratic figures from the States.

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    1. Reference the Constables I always found it farcical that their supporters tried to criticise St. Helier's disappointing electoral turnouts and use these as an excuse to maintain the country-town democratic deficit when the country Constables rarely faced elections - and now all but one country parish can't even raise the interest to have an election at all! Time for the Constables to be removed indeed.

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  3. Sean Power is a thief and a liar who's political demise will be as a consequence of his involvement with me. Watch out for his fake avatar on Facebook James Le Gallais.

    Julie Hanning, Sue Young, James Pearce, JSH.

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  4. Philip Ozouf will top the poll and you know it but can't admit it.

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    1. Now if you are a betting man, woman or even troll that's a bet I would like to take you up on! Come on - you know I could do with the easy money.

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  5. The establishment party are not able to field any new political heavy-weights so it looks like the times are changing. I will only be using for of my votes and only one of them are in your top 7.

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    1. Sadly all three of us have already heard similar sentiments these past two days. Of course people do need to keep in mind that you most definitely do NOT need to use all 8 of your votes. In fact unless you have 8 candidates you like voting in such a way will quite likely force out the candidates you do really want elected.

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  6. Isn't it defeatist or disloyal not to say the progressive candidates will sweep the board even if you don't believe it?

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    1. No. I think it would be plain silly. You won't find me or us attacking any Leftists/Progressives/Greens without good reason. But we won't be making statements which are clearly not realistic. After all - who needs unnecessary egg on face?

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    2. I' cannot identify any Greens in the senatorial contest. Have I missed something?

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  7. I tend to agree with what you guys say with one exception. I think John Young will get in easily. Probably in the top 4. This will leave Lyndon Farnham scrabbling around for the last spot. He's done nothing and he can't even play the SOS Save Our Senators card like he did to get elected in 2011.

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    1. I hope John Young does get in as you suggest. Don't think it will be top four though even though his ability warrants that. You are right about Lyndon Farnham too. Seems nice bloke but done nothing. And doing nothing and keeping your head down while you do it is what seems to get so many Jersey 'politicians' re-elected, isn't it?

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  8. I wouldn't be so sure about Senator Alan Maclean.

    People are really, really p***ed of that he and his Chief Executive, Mike King, gifted £200,000 of taxpayers' money to fantasy film maker Keith Cavele, with no due diligence.

    Meanwhile, pensioners pay GST on their food.

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  9. If I was to steal Sean Power's election posters would Emma Martin's only see it as a regulatory offence so I wouldn't get charged with theft or does that only apply if it is him stealing emails?

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  10. Think you are wrong about Bailhache. Think he could struggle to get in top six. Hopefully not even in the eight. A menace to Jersey.

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    1. A menace to the future prosperity of ordinary people here he definitely is. But there are still enough idiots who look no further than his having been a 'respected' Bailiff to get him back in. Especially when you add in all of the self-proclaimed elite who benefit from his and Ozouf's two-tier society model and beliefs. Sad it may be but it is true.

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  11. As a proud former cook in Her Majesty's Reserve Army I want Philip Ozouf out. We need good military men in the States Assembly

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  12. Do you want me to victimise any of the candidates wives and destroy their career or send them death threats?

    James Sharrock Pearce.

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  13. Mike Higgins should become Chief Minister and bring honesty and accountability to the table.

    Routier the man who blundered on for ten minutes telling the states and Jersey that spending on the secret trial was secret. Reading Hansard shows what a complete idiot this man is. This was a public interest question about how much the trial cost nothing more nothing less. Its ok though as a reward he got a pat on the head and a nice free holiday to represent Jersey in the Falklands, or was it somewhere else.

    Eddie Noel should be dumped the man who is trying to make a repution as a hard nut, constantly and regularly refusing answers to questions.

    There is Anne Pryke, enough to make anyone who values a quality and efficient health service in Jersey throw up.

    Not that there are no excellent people working in health, there are plenty, it's just the Minister that is useless and can't understand the questions let alone answer them. Check out Hansard for her silly irrelevant answer when asked how many head of population the new hospital is designed for ?

    Roll on the election, a chance to have your say and feel good about it.

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    1. Mike Higgins would be an excellent Chief Minister as he certainly has integrity and a true hard work ethic by the bucket load.

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  14. No.3 & 5 top tier, no. 1 & 2 middle tier. Only 4 worth a vote (at first glance).

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  15. Two questions for you if you don't mind?

    One. Do you really think Deputy Andrew Green will get elected to Senator over Philip Ozouf and if so why?

    Two. Philip Bailhache topped the poll in 2011 so for what reason do you have to think he won't do the same again now he is our first external relations minister?

    Can you also tell me if it is correct that your media contributor is Gillian Martindale formerly of Channel TV?

    Thank you in advance.

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  16. Are you sure you aren't Philip Ozouf in disguise? I only ask because by my maths that wasn't two questions but four - Phil's maths aren't that great you know. Just consider his latest botched budget. But regardless of all that...

    Yes, I do think Andrew Green will get elected. Why? Because like Alan Maclean to a good number he is (wrongly) seen as the acceptable face of Conservatism.

    I think Philip Ozouf will at best scrape in eighth because of the cumulative impact of his multiple clusterfrucks. This and his appalling arrogance.

    Philip Bailhache has been totally exposed as a fake and hypocrite since his election. He talks of respect yet abuses everyone who dares to differ with his Neo-Feudal views. In a word he is a political 'disaster'. He'll get back in but not in first place. Indeed, in terms of ability I would place him about 17th.

    As to your last question: I have asked Hacked Off if he/she is Gillian (who I liked as a person) and he/she says 'No!'.

    Similar haircut though...

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  17. Why the lack of good, honest and intelligent people coming forward as candidates, this is the question ? Because they are good, honest and intelligent and therefore realise that Jersey politics, administration, and judiciary when looked at closely, are like certain classic cars, shiny on the outside but completely rotten underneath and rather than risk running them, either scrap them or completely rebuild them from the ground up.

    Not going to happen is it ?

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  18. If you can't vote for anyone, vote "NONE OF THE ABOVE". It's an option which is available in many European countries and is a positive response to a dismal choice of candidates and policies.

    You might find someone among the senatorial candidates to vote for but the choice for deputies in some parishes is woeful, in particular St. Brelade's District 1, Trinity and St. Mary's.

    Do not hold your nose and vote for the least toxic- be positive: draw a box under the list of the candidates, write "NONE OF THE ABOVE" and put your "X". In the excuse for a democracy that is Jersey it will count as a spoilt paper, but enough of them may begin to send a message.

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  19. Is anyone keeping a tally of 'paid for' adverts in the unnamable publication? I noted that the shy and retiring Lyndon Farnham whacked in a quarter front page on day one, now that would cost me most of the £2500 available. Are we going to see trapped kittens released in a fearless manner from now on? Or the Murray Norton emetic whereby he saved a 'local woman' from certain death by organising a fridge freezer delivery( I joke not check out his FB no don't...)

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    1. The expenses rules - or more accurately there enforcement are a joke. It was widely stated within the so called corridors of power last time that several candidates went way over - Baker was a good example in the Deputies - and yet nothing was done. I know candidate Keith Shaw was looking into all of this but then very sadly died. Needs a complete review.

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  20. I wouldn't like to say who will come out on top. But don't think it will be any of the establishment's 'big 3'. Bailhache, Gorst and Ozouf have been a disaster over the last 3 years. I just can't understand why the JEP support them so much. Wish you were standing though. You would have walked in again here in number 1. Think I might only vote for Labey and the Reform girl.

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  21. Spoiling your paper may be satisfyingly rebellious, but what message does that send that would actually make any difference? All it says is : "I don't like any of these proposed candidates" but it's not exactly the fault of the vote counters (or anyone else running the elections) that the island community has failed to put forward any candidates that you personally approve of. The low figures for the turn-outs already show that.

    A referendum like the recent Scottish one shows that a huge majority will turn out (like 85%!) when people do feel that they are actually making a difference to the result. This doesn't apply to Jersey elections because we only have a say in a tiny number of positions out of the full number, and "they're all as bad as each other anyway" is the usual saying.

    a) Politics only appeals to a certain minority type of very opinionated and I-can-make-a-difference motivated person anyway
    b) Everyone else would recoil in horror at the amount of paper work and attendance at all those boring 'debates' - in quotes because I doubt that anyone in the history of the Jersey States Chamber has ever persuaded any of the others present to change their minds from how they were set before they walked in. The 'debates' are just "Listen to me, isn't my voice wonderful?" and utter torture to listen to. Why would the average islander put themselves forward for THAT?! I'm glad that the rare unselfish ones do from time to time, but there aren't enough of them to make a difference unless the whole system is torn down and rebuilt to appeal to people who are currently completely put off.

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    1. To take your points further I honestly - and sadly - think that things in Jersey will simply get worse and worse until our self-interested elite tip us over the edge into socio-economic disaster.

      Only then with mass unemployment, rampant negative equity and with Ozouf, Bailhache and Co still giving preferential tax treatment to parasites will enough people wake up to try and change things from outside of government - the place from where real change must originate.

      And by then my fear is that improving things - even salvaging things may take at least a generation or maybe even be impossible. The parasites won't care of course they will just up sticks and go - along with the politicians who allowed it all to happen.

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  22. You and others on Twitter talking about Mike Higgins and Alan MaClean. What says it all is that if it had been Higgins who had given away 200 grand of taxpayers cash and not MaClean he would have been voted out. As to how Mike King still has a job I really don't know. This is OUR CASH for Heaven's sake!

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  23. I know it might be inappropriate and puerile ,but having seen the burgeoning posters for the politician now known as Sean Power ,I nearly crashed the car laughing .Look at them closely or perhaps the publicity shot on www.vote.je and keep the words upstanding member in your head (for the shortest time possible!) enjoy!

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