LANGLOIS; Shane Lenfestey

Manifesto to follow..

I am asking you to cast one of your six votes for me at the forthcoming election. In my 2008 manifesto I outlined my views on ‘zero-10’ and on our States. I still believe that those two issues, our fiscal and economic strategy together with the States’ accountability are of the highest importance.

Since 2008 T&R has transformed the way the States Budget & Accounts are presented but it is ‘zero-10’s effect on the States finances which sets the context for much that will happen over the next four years. I have taken this opportunity to explain overleaf, as straightforwardly as possible, how the States financial position has changed since 2006, before ‘zero-10’, and then where it might be heading.

As a member of the working party looking into ‘good governance’ last year I had the opportunity to think through and discuss, in some depth, our current government structure, in particular accountability and leadership. What soon became clear is that to improve matters we have to move beyond the one line solutions so often advanced. Our report was constrained to looking at the existing system but the next States will be consulting on and debating the issue more broadly. On the following pages are some of

the ideas which made it into the report and others which would be a contribution to the future debate.

Every cloud has a silver lining, even in politics, and the Mulkerrin Report’s criticism together with the subsequent resignations from the Education Department have at least focused attention on our High Schools, for too long they have been in the shadow of the Grammar School and the Colleges. The rebuilding of the High Schools, including La Mare de Carteret, should just be the start. We must ensure the High Schools achieve a satisfactory standard and allocate sufficient resources to that end.

Last summer, a month before I became a member of the Health & Social Services Department, its 20/20 Vision Report was debated in the States. One of the Report’s main points is that the only way our healthcare budget can remain affordable in the face of changing demographics, new treatments, new drugs and higher expectations is for effective preventative measures and early-detection services to be put in place. The series of Reports following on from ‘20/20 Vision’ will be amongst the most important during the coming States term.

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s_langlois@me.com

how did you vote in the ssd paper brought to the states in the last meeting...do you think more should be done to help disabled people and their carers/family ..do you think guernsey should now be following jersey in not allowing more immigrants in to work unless absolutely neccesary..why do we still not have a proper care that helps people with mental health problems ,alcohol and drug addictions..the one we have at the moment is sadly lacking in aftercare for these people.

Thistle
I voted for all the SSD’s propositions except two, 1(h) – replacing the supplementary benefit limitation with maximum rent allowances and 3 – increasing the requirement rates but of course those were the two most important ones. Whilst we have a policy of no nett increase in expenditure, until such time as we eliminate the budget deficit, I could not very well vote for increasing expenditure no matter how worthy the proposals.
Last October the SSD was successful in proposing substantial improvements to Attendance and Invalid Care Allowances but in truth we are only going to make more progress when the Disability Strategy has been finalised and approved by the States. Regarding mental health in particular I believe that once the Strategy is in place and crucially the new Adult Mental Health Facility has been completed our approach to aftercare and the like will be more co-ordinated.