This is the speech proposing Nicholas Le Cornu as Senator, delivered at the Town Hall on Tuesday 16th September, 2008 by Neil McMurray.

Mr Constable, ladies and gentlemen.

These forthcoming elections in October and November, will be the MOST IMPORTANT in Jersey history since the immediate post war period.

It was predicted that it would take a crisis to fundamentally change and modernise Jersey’s political system. Many thought that crisis would be an attack on the Finance Industry. Rather the crisis is internal, a crisis of public confidence, triggered by revelations of systematic institutional child abuse. A fundamental flaw in the social structure of the island has been exposed. The only ones with a voice are the well connected. The only ones who are listened to are those in authority. The voiceless are the weak and defenceless, the disadvantaged and the unconnected.

The TRAGEDY of the victims has been turned into a scandal, because of the failings of senior statesmen and officials. Their arrogance, secrecy and defensiveness were quickly spotted by the national and international media.
The spotlight of enquiry has been turned on the institutions of government and sadly they have been found wanting.

The Government has fallen apart and is in disarray. There has been a total failure of leadership. A government of amateurs, even with its "crisis cabinet" and highly paid media spin machine, has shown itself to be quite incapable of dealing with the pressures of a crisis. How will they cope if the IMF and European Union decide¬ to get tough with our Finance Industry?

This mismanagement of events has been compounded by a self inflicted government disaster. GST is the name of a tax everyone now knows and nobody, except 28 States Members, actually wants. Public anger now sits on the edge of a Tax Payers Revolt.

At the forthcoming elections, the electorate will pass judgement on the success or otherwise of our government. Yes, the government you chose to elect. Do you still trust your government? Do you believe they are competent?

You have a choice - to vote for the government - or to vote for an alternative Jersey – for Time4Change candidates, for Green candidates, for progressives, for youth.

My candidate is one of those Time4Change candidates. He believes the electoral system should be about policies not personalities and in his Manifesto he spells out those policies:

States Reform
The abolition of GST
Fair Taxation
Financial monoculture and diversification of the economy
Quality Public services and infrastructure
Justice
Income Support and Welfare
Housing
The protection of children and young people

My candidate is a lawyer and the extraordinary fact is that there are NO elected lawyers in the current States Assembly and this surely reflects a malaise in our society – but most particularly exposes how the legal profession in this Island is failing to serve the ordinary general public.

I am delighted to say that the lawyer that I am proposing is committed – among other things - to a thorough reform of the legal service that is provided in Jersey.

It is unusual – probably unique in recent history – for a lawyer to come forward in this Island who is prepared to challenge the legal establishment and to promote far reaching reforms.

But I believe, and I know from personal and painful experience, that such reforms are absolutely necessary and I know that the States Chamber will benefit from his knowledge of the law and its application in this Island.

I am a member of Time4Change.I have never voted in my life, but now I am going to vote. I am going to vote because I am so disillusioned and infuriated by this government. Please join me and support our candidates, because it is most definitely THE TIME FOR CHANGE.

I have pleasure therefore, Mr Constable, ladies and gentlemen, to propose Mr Nicholas Le Cornu as a candidate for election as Senator.


THE NOMINATION PAPER OF NICHOLAS BASIL LE CORNU READS:

PROPOSER: NEIL MCMURRAY
SECONDERS: GILBERT WADE BLACKWOOD
GIFFARD SAMUEL AUBIN
BARBARA DE LA CLOCHE
RAYMOND MC FARLANE MC CREDIE
LEONARD MILES VANDENBORN
AUDREY LOBB
MICHAEL JOHN D’AUTHEREAU
ENRICO SORDA
WILLIAM GRAHAM PROUSE




[Submitted by Nick Le Cornu]