JONES; David Brian

Manifesto to follow..

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is David
Jones and I have lived in Guernsey for over forty two
years, I am married to Bonny a Guernsey girl and we
have been together for thirty four years. We have two
grown children who both live and work on the island..
We also have 3 beautiful grand children which have
enriched all our lives.
Bonny has played a pivotal role as the wife of a busy
deputy and I thank her for her endless support, patience
and good humour, even when life as a Deputy’s wife has
its more challenging moments.
I would also like to thank my proposer Mr Graham Guille
and my seconder Mr Marcel Le Maitre, for their faith in
me and for the sterling service they have both given to
the Vale Parish over many years.
[b]
Brief political history
I have been supported by the people of the Vale as one of their
peoples Deputy’s for the last twelve years and I have been
privileged to be elected by the States as Guernsey’s Housing
Minister for eight of them. Before that I served six years on the
Vale Douzaine.
I have a huge amount of experience at the top of our government,
across a wide range of Policy Council responsibilities.
I have always been a man who has led from the front since being
appointed a Minister, believing that you can’t drive a car from
the back seat. I also strongly believe we are accountable for the
departments we lead.
For those of you who are new to the island, or who have moved
to the Parish in recent years, you might ask what kind of Deputy
will you get if you give me your vote?
Well, I have always been outspoken, frank and honest in my views.
I am fiercely and stubbornly protective of Guernsey, its people
and its unique way of life, I have a real passion for this islands
history, its heritage and its culture but above all its right to selfgovernance
and autonomy.
I have served on the External Relations Group for the past eight
years, which has responsibility for ensuring our distinctive
constitutional position is recognised and preserved, it is one of
the most important committees in the States.
My Voting record
Four years ago, I circulated a manifesto to the people of the
Vale outlining what I truly believed in.
My record since that election shows clearly that I have stuck
firmly to all those election pledges. Supporting a low tax
economy, On parish schools, Island wide voting, paid parking
and refusing to support mass burn incineration. Also on the
smaller issues like tackling the problem of noisy motorcycles.
My voting record clearly shows to the people who trusted me,
that I am a Deputy who does not say one thing and then does
something different after being elected.
The Economy
There is no doubt that one of the main tasks of the next
administration will be to keep our economy on track. We have
done remarkably well as an island in staying competitive and
preserving jobs for our people, despite concerted attacks
on us from outside. Guernsey has come through the global
recession relatively unscathed but I fully accept that we are
not out of the woods yet. I see one of the main tasks of any
elected Deputy, to be that of protecting jobs and our economy.
Our Finance sector is key to this economy and whether we
like it or not, it undoubtedly provides the lion’s share of this
islands income and employs over 8,000 people. Without this
important sector, we would have very little revenue to keep
our services running and do all the things the island needs
to improve its infrastructure. Having said that, it is absolutely
essential that within a very short period of this next States, we
get our long term tax strategy sorted out and put in place.
I will NOT support a GST, which I believe is a harsh regressive
tax that would hit the poorest hardest.
Health
This Islands Health service is one of the finest in the world.
Experience shows that the provision of good health care can soak
up almost any amount of money we wish to throw at it. However,
just throwing money at a problem has not worked across the
water in the UK NHS. The only practical solution for Guernsey
is to try to work more with Jersey and the UK to share services
and costs. We are too small to provide every medical procedure
ourselves, so off Island treatment will always be necessary and
costly. I will continue to pursue a reciprocal health agreement
with the UK.
Tidal power and future energy costs
For me Tidal Power is an investment we simply have to make, in
time it will produce clean and efficient energy. We have to invest
in sustainable energy solutions, fossil fuels will not last forever and
we have to plan for our children and grandchildren. I will support
any sensible measure to improve the islands energy efficiency,
without crippling green taxes, which could make essential utilities
and transport wholly unaffordable for the average family.
Population
In the life of this next parliament we will hopefully have a new
Population regime to replace the outdated Housing Control
Law. If we are to keep the numbers of people living in Guernsey
at sustainable levels, then we need a new radical residential
and work permit system that recognises people’s rights but also
gives the States the ability to decide who comes to the island
and how long they can stay. We also need to recognise the huge
contribution that many of the people who have been invited to
work and settle in Guernsey have made to this community.
I support a vibrant Open Market, this sector of our community
has also brought huge benefits to the island in terms of
those OM residents who have started businesses and created
hundreds of jobs.
Crime
New figures show that crime on the island is coming down,
although it does not seem like that on occasions. There is no doubt
there are more police around of late and it is very noticeable in
the North of the island, especially now the motorcycle patrols
have resumed. We have still not managed to get on top of the
issue of vandalism and criminal damage as much as I would like.
I continue to campaign for a fully manned police station in
the North of the island. I like many of you, have questioned
the purchase of an armoured Land Rover and I remain to be
convinced of the necessity for such a vehicle in Guernsey.
Education
We currently spend 75 Million pounds per year on the education
of the islands children. The Mulkerrin report suggests that more
of Educations budget needs to be re-directed away from central
administration at the Education Dept and back into the Schools,
something I wholeheartedly support. I also agree with Mulkerrin,
that Head teachers need far more autonomy over the schools
they run and the hiring of staff. I continue to support Parish
Schools. I would argue that if these Parish schools are currently
under utilised, then we should use the spare capacity in these
buildings for nursery education.
Industry
As a follow on from Education, I am a great supporter of
apprenticeship schemes and I will work with other deputies to
get many more places for our young people who want to learn
a trade. I am also bitterly disappointed that a number of small
businesses have been forced to close, simply because of new
planning laws that have chased people from premises they have
worked in for years. The “change of use” legislation needs to be
completely overhauled in my view, if only for the reason of giving
the island much more flexibility in the use of redundant buildings
and creating more jobs.
Traffic
I am afraid to say not much has changed with traffic congestion
over the last four years. I certainly don’t have all the answers,
however I will support any sensible policies that will reduce car
use in favour of public transport but at the same time I refuse to
join the ranks of those who want to un-invent the car, bringing
in measures that are designed to batter people into submission
rather than providing a decent alternative, that is simply not a
sensible position to take. People have to go about their daily lives
and failure to recognise that personal transport plays a big part in
that everyday routine is simply not living in the real world.
We should by now have a new bus operator and I fully support a
robust public transport system.
I hope as the older buses come to the end of their natural life we
can replace them with smaller mini buses, that are better suited
to our roads and will be able to travel around many more of the
smaller lanes reaching areas where people live. I do not support
paid parking.
The Low paid and Pensioners
In March this year Social Security brought before the States plans
to completely overhaul the benefi t system and not before time
in my view. Many of the proposals are designed to get people
back into work or training and to end some of the culture that
has encouraged some people not to seek employment, spending
many years on benefi ts. Other measures are intended to help those
on low and fi xed incomes, including pensioners, together with hard
working families who still can’t make ends meet, mostly because of
high private rents and other rising living costs. Unfortunately these
proposals were lost. I am confi dent with some revision they will be
accepted by the new States. I recognise that the gap between rich
and poor is widening in this island and we simply must do whatever
we can to close it. Pensions must keep pace with infl ation.
Environment
There is no doubt since the new planning law came in, it has
put intolerable petty restrictions on property owners even to do
minor things they once did without expensive recourse to the
planning department.
I hate to say I told you so but when the new planning law was
being debated I advised States members that this would be likely
to happen if this new law was passed. I was told by those driving
this new law through, that I was scaremongering…. You decide?
I have spoken to other candidates about this growing problem
and some have agreed that we would get together should we be
returned at this election and unpick the more draconian parts of
this law through revised States legislation.
I am not against people being brought to book for breaking the
planning laws for unsuitable or illegal development. What I am
against, is the relentless pursuance of islanders by Environment
offi cials over what are clearly minor issues. The whole thing needs
revisiting and I intend to make it a priority should I be re-elected..
Housing
As a result of the Corporate Housing Programme we are now
providing more social housing than ever before and at an
ever-reducing cost to the taxpayer. Housing has always been a
complex, varied and sometimes diffi cult department, dealing
with the provision of social need housing, through to right to
work documents, essential housing and compassionate licences.
Always recognising the need to bring balance to the workforce in
our economy, while at the same time keeping the population of
Guernsey as low as possible.
Housing works very closely with Social Security on the issue
of unemployment, reducing the number of licences issued as
unemployment rises.
I think my record as Housing Minister over the last eight years
speaks for itself; I have worked exceptionally hard with others to
improve the islands social housing stock beyond recognition,
certainly from what was available just a few years ago.
My biggest personal satisfaction, was the demolition of the Bouet
Housing estate, at long last we have rid the island of this appalling
accommodation. The partial ownership/ shared equity scheme
has also been a real success. 88 homes have been taken up under
this scheme with another 40 in the pipeline, a much improved
scheme over the previous States loan arrangements giving many
families their fi rst rung on the home ownership ladder.
Waste Disposal
This issue I believe is close to being resolved at last and I will
support the waste minimisation and recycling strategies put
forward by PSD reducing our waste levels as low as is possible.
If we have to export to Jersey in the short term I will support
this move, although eventually we must have our own on
island solution.
Finally
If you want a strong decisive Deputy with a proven track
record of leadership. Who will fi ght for all the things that make
Guernsey special? A Deputy who is prepared to take tough
decisions and who will battle fi ercely to keep our autonomy and
freedom to decide our own future? A deputy you can call on at
any reasonable hour day or night, 7 days a week, then I ask you
to give me your vote.
If you do, I will be honoured to be part of any new government
and to serve in any capacity my fellow States member wish me
to serve.
It is not possible to cover all the issues facing the island in depth
in this brief manifesto. I will do what I can to talk to as many of
you as possible in the run up to this election. If you wish to call
me on any of the issues highlighted in this manifesto I would be
more than happy to discuss them with you, my phone number is
01481 247404 or you can e-mail me at djones@cionlne.com

If you think you can do better Mr Jones, then damn well get on with it ! Cheeky bleeder !

Manifest has now been reloaded ... PDF's are a pain to convert.. Hopefullly this is now correct..

wish we had island wide elections dave as you would def get my vote x

kingcolemk wrote:If you think you can do better Mr Jones, then damn well get on with it ! Cheeky bleeder !

would u speak to a uk candidate in this way kingcole... bearing in mind dave jones is a deputy standing for re election .

Yes I would. I know Dave and was shocked at the tone of that post. It was bad mannered to say the least.