A Political Commitment

Some good stuff in a States Speech the other day. It shows some Jersey politicians really care.

 

 

 

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We are dealing with a single-parent family, one child, part-time work, fairly good income for that part-time work, and it is well worth Members studying this letter because from a monthly net income of £1,650, with all the outgoing standing orders listed and the weekly expenses of petrol, parking charges and food, this lady has a disposable income of £327 per month, that is £76.30 per week.  From that income she must pay for clothes, she must pay for replacement breakages, the sort of things that we all have, the washing machine goes wrong, the need for a new toaster, other activities such as birthday parties and presents.  She says: "Eating out is a rare occurrence; cinema is a luxury."  Now, I think this is very important because this... I am happy that vulnerable people in the current welfare system are going to be protected.  This side of the vulnerable community is outside the net at the moment: no income tax, no income support.  I believe that when I was elected Constable of St. Martin, I took on a commitment.  My commitment is simple.  It is to offer the care and protection of the very old, the very young, the poor, the sick and the people who could not look after their own affairs.

 

We are building a society, which is going to be better for the population of this Island.  On the idea that we should be working together through the departments of the States, I would like to bring you one little anecdote.  Not an anecdote because it happened last night in my Parish surgery.  One of my clients came in and said: "I am in trouble boss."  "What is the problem?"  "Well, I have actually had my social security cheque and incapacity benefit halved this month."  "Oh, why is that?"  "Well," he says: "I have a medical board to go to on 3rd December.  Here is the letter."  Sure enough, a medical board to attend on 3rd December to see if he is still incapacitated and fit to receive his incapacity benefit.  In the other hand, he showed me 2 other letters; one was for an appointment for an X-ray for his condition and the other one was an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon for 5th December; medical board 3rd December, orthopaedic surgeon 5th December.  He is going to have an operation, a major operation.  Now, for goodness sake, when we get this thing going, can we get the computers to talk to each other?  The net result was he was on half of his incapacity benefit and he had his rent to pay on 1st December.  Now, to him, that was a big problem, a very big problem, because he just did not have the money.  To me it was simple because I could say: "Right, we will give you a temporary loan to tide you over until your incapacity benefit goes back up to the full value, which apparently is going to take 2 weeks after his medical board.  I think this is just plain administrative stupidity.  I mean, why can the departments not talk to each other?  I would please address that to the departments. 

 

Connétable S.A. Yates of St. Martin