So Farewell Then, States Members - Part 1

Today is the last day in which the old States assembly sits

 

Of all nonsensical ideas, they thought in their wisdom that it would be a good day to debate the budget. Of course, if the debate and any amendments go beyond the current day, effectively they will need to start from scratch to bring in the new members.

 

In America, Obama met with George Bush to ensure that any last minute legislation would not be legislation that might be repealed in the new presidency. That would show up the government of the United States to ridicule. Our government, alas, lacks either an incoming Obama or an outgoing George Bush.

 

So a brief farewell to those who are leaving - Frank Walker, Mike Vibert, Gerard Baudains, Wendy Kinnard, Jacqui Huet, Celia Scott-Warren, Andrew Lewis and Guy de Faye.

 

Frank Walker has been Chief Minister in troubled times, and has shown himself publically to be inept. That is a pity because behind the scenes he has been active in matters like a new skateboard park, and also, seeing the financial difficulties of the "credit crunch" was prepared to lead the States in an about turn on some exemptions to GST. As he was leaving the assembly, this could hardly be to get votes. It is a shame that with his liberation day speech, and his appalling talk with Jeremy Paxman, that he has shown himself to be anything but the "international statesman" that he aspired to be, and on which platform he was last elected as Senator (as those of us with long memories remember). That interview, I suspect, will be one of the things people will remember in 20 years time!

 

Mike Vibert brought in some free nursery places, more or less on a postcode lottery basis, and then having created the problem, and caused the demise of several worthy private nurseries, tried to secure last minute funding for extra nursery places just in the run up to elections, which by any standards, appeared to be a blatant attempt to secure popularity. A last minute one page website, an advertisement in the JEP with a picture and the ancient cliché "A Safe Pair of Hands" underneath it probably contributed to a general impression (to me at any rate) that here was someone who was not really bothered in engaging with the public. Trying to hold back the Kathi Bull report from the public domain also gave an impression to me of someone concerned with appearances, and was not a wise move (in my opinion).

 

Gerard Baudains has been an independent and sometimes vocal critic of the States. His best moment probably was the "outing" of the Harcourt Nevada court case which led to another really inept apology by Frank Walker( who should not have been so naive as to believe all that he was told without getting extra verification, especially as the Court case was available on line!) His mistake was probably to try for Deputy having failed as Constable, as the introduction of other candidates made it less likely he would get back in. Attempting to get planning permission for his own building developments (which he was perfectly at liberty to do) while also coming out strongly against over-development in St Clements also may have sent out mixed messages to the electorate.

 

More on the others tomorrow!