Will vote for

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

It was'nt difficult to miss. What's with that guy. He seemed nervous last night. I thought he would have come across better. I was near the back of the hall and you really could'nt hear what he was yapping on about.

There are scenarios which look unattractive at the beginning and turn out beautiful and sweet,
Just watch the link below and you'll understand what an about turn really is aaall about

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

There are scenarios which look unattractive at the beginning and turn out beautiful and sweet,
Just watch the link below and you'll understand what an about turn really is aaall about

http://mithuro.com/presscuefiles/january/beer_goggle.swf

[TAV]

He is just another Terry Le Sueur but with more knowledge of the criminal system!

[Razzard]

About turn alright Sargeant. Where's Private Gidley?

[Res Nullius]

About turn alright Sargeant. Where's Private Gidley?

Peeling spuds?

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

About turn alright Sargeant. Where's Private Gidley?

He's on a fizzer for popping some of Sean's Paps whilst on duty!

[ianlemarquand]

I am afraid that Nellie Macon, with whom I have hitherto got on very well, has incorrectly reported that I have done a U turn. This is not correct. My position is and has always been during this campaign that GST was the least bad of the three main options available. However, I am and have always been in favour of exemptions on all food and on utility bills and heating for homes. Please see my leaflet and my full position on www.ianlemarquand.com  . Last night we had a question on GST exemptions and I gave my position on that which is as above. I did not give my position of GST which has been plain and clear throughout the campaign. If Nellie thought from what I said that I was doing a U-turn on GST then she misunderstood. We have 90 seconds in which to answer three atr times complicated questions. May I also point out that she is hardly unbiased in wanting to attack other candidates.   

[Razzard]

Ian,

I don't know Nellie Macon and have no axe to grind with you but from where I was standing last night it sounded to me like you did do a U-turn.... but I'm glad you've put the record straight.

I agree it’s difficult to get your message across in such a short space of time and the whole hustings set up is totally outdated and unfit for purpose.

Maybe if you get in you could look into improving the current system so that similar misunderstandings are not repeated and the electorate get to learn more about the candidates and their policies in a more informed manner?

Chris Lakeman’s idea of having each parish event themed to a particular policy area would be a good place to start.

[Res Nullius]

Improve the system?

Live television debate.  Live audience.  Live candidates (and a few half-dead ones).

Question Time meets Jeremy Kyle.

Nellie Macon handbagging Ozouf on telly and getting dragged away by security.

Vibert turning puce and doing his pigeon dance when questioned about school milk and GST on kids stuff.

McLean's false teeth slipping into his glass of water...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz  is that the alarm?

[ianlemarquand]

Razzard. You are right that the hustings have been very difficult with 21 candidates. At the start it was suggested that we divide into 2 or 3 groups so that there would be 2 or 3 meetings in each parish. The problems with this were:-
     a) that people might not turn out for 2 let alone 3 occasions in which case they would not have been able to compare candidates; and
     b) that a candidate might have said something untrue about another candidate without the other candidate being there to rebut it.

In fact, there has been a huge amount of written material as well as interviews for both television and radio. There is almost too much material. The main function of the hustings has for people to see how individuals perform live. Unfortunately, that has tended to favour the existing politicians who are used to voice projection. I have a naturally quiet voice and when I do voice projection the tone changes and I can sound pompous. Unfortunately, we had the same bad sound system at St. Clement, Grouville and St. Helier. At one stage I held the system up to my mouth and then found that it was not working properly. At St. Peter's all the candidates on the right side had microphones which fed back producing an echo but the ones on the left side, where I was, worked fine. I could go on but the point is that the sound systems have created a lottery.

In retrospect, perhaps we should have split into two groups and trusted that people would cross parish boundaries in order to see both groups.     

[Razzard]

In fact, there has been a huge amount of written material as well as interviews for both television and radio. There is almost too much material. The main function of the hustings has for people to see how individuals perform live.

But surely the concern is that there are a still a lot more that don't engage? And that needs to be properly addressed.

I agree that your suggestion would have been better than the current one and I would be quite prepared to go to any of the other parishes to see candidates but I'm not somebody who has ever found it difficult to get to a polling station.

My worry is that once again there will be a 30% turnout and those figures will only support the continuation of the status quo. There have been several interesting posts on here in the last few days expressing surprise and even anger at how little work colleagues, family or friends know about these elections. I find that amazing. Yes I agree that there may well have been too much information but equally I think there's a stronger argument for saying it's not been channelled in the right directions (and that opportunities have again been missed). Take the school hustings. All my teacher friends say they and their students knew nothing about it.

Anyway good luck for tomorrow. And if you do get in please try and shake a few things up. A lot of people are now saying you’re just an establishment stooge. I've have the feeling that you’re not. Time will tell.

[ianlemarquand]

Razzard. Thank you for your good wishes. This may be meaningless history to you, but if it is not then do you really think that a nephew of Senator J.J. Le Marquand could ever be an establishment stooge? Some like my uncle J.J., who was legendary as a stirrer, seek to bring change by criticising from the outside. I bring change by working from the inside but I always bring positive change. In my specialist area of Home Affairs there is much general agreement at what needs to be done and it now requires someone with energy and drive to carry it through. If elected, I will play my part in the wider areas in seeking to change the general attitude of the States but big changes will require a number of people working together. If I do well tomorrow then there will be a lot of people trusting me and I am not going to let them down.           

[Fritz]

Letting folk down would be a wee change from, "Sending them down". 

Good luck to-morrow, and may Allah watch over your every decision.

[Nellie Macon]

Ian I am just terribly disappointed with you. When you first spoke at the hustings I felt that you were perfect for Home Affairs as that Department could do with a strong person directing it. It doesn't appear as though the staff are too happy and that can't be good for the public.

I'm so dead against GST and the policies of our current ministers that have caused so much misery and will cause even more if left unchecked that I feel betrayed by you. It's not enough to say take GST off food etc as that will simply make it more expensive to administer. We need to get rid of the whole concept and start considering alternatives and there are loads of them.

It's such a shame and such a waste that you appear to have changed your stance so much. We need people in the States now that will start sorting out the Frank Walker legacy and I can only see you siding with the "old boys". I see my politics as very much middle of the road, looking out for the poor and vulnerable of course but also for the taxpayers who end up footing the bill for everyone.

We've had enough of all the infighting and blocking of good policies simply because some factions in the States don't like others - for goodness sake, let's get a new crop of people together who will co-operate and consider each proposal on its own merits. I'd like to see the new CM being someone who can bring all the different factions within the States together. Who that person is, is a good question. Any ideas?

[Res Nullius]

It's not enough to say take GST off food etc as that will simply make it more expensive to administer. We need to get rid of the whole concept and start considering alternatives and there are loads of them.

I could be wrong Nellie but I seem to recall Ian saying quite some time ago that he would want to phase GST out altogether.