Supplementary Order Paper 18th July 2000

STATES OF JERSEY ORDER PAPER

Tuesday, 18th July 2000 and Wednesday, 19th July 2000

SUPPLEMENTARY

G.  Q  UESTIONS

THE STATES are asked to note that the Deputy of St. John has withdrawn the question to be asked of the President of the Finance and Economics Committee.

K.  P UBLIC BUSINESS

Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited: appointment of Non-States directors (P.124/2000) - amendment. Deputy A.S. Crowcroft of St. Helier .

(attached)

G.H.C. COPPOCK Greffier of the States

18th July 2000

WATERFRONT ENTERPRISE BOARD LIMITED: APPOINTMENT OF NON-STATES DIRECTORS (P.124/2000) - AMENDMENT

1. for the words the following collectively' substitute in paragraph (a) the words three of the following';
2. a fter the list of names insert the name -

M r  B  ob Henkhuzens;

3. for the words from and to elect' to the end of the paragraph substitute the following -

and following the election of three Non-States Directors to proceed to elect as Chairman of the Board one of their number.'

DEPUTY A.S. CROWCROFT OF ST. HELIER

Report

Much as I appreciate the hard work that has been done by the two Non-States directors who have agreed to continue serving on the Board of WEB, I find the views attributed to them in the final paragraph of the Report on P.124/2000 disconcerting. The two directors concerned would seem to have sought to influence the States' appointment of the Chairman of such an influential body which is responsible for the development of the Waterfront and for the expenditure of large sums of public monies. An election of the non States members of WEB is surely an essential part of the process for securing accountability and proper representation of the public's interest in the activities of this organisation. It is surprising that the Policy and Resources Committee agreed to this arrangement, and I hope that the States will agree to allow an election of the Non-States Directors of WEB to take place in the interests of good government.

I am pleased to be able to nominate Mr Bob Henkhuzens for a seat on the WEB Board. Mr Henkhuzens was, until June 1998, a partner with Coopers & Lybrand ("C&L") in the Channel Islands, and he now acts as an independent consultant in Jersey providing a range of accounting and advisory services.

Born in February 1952 in the Midlands, he was educated mainly in Jersey and then attended Lancaster University where he gained an honours degree in Accounting & Finance. He qualified as a chartered accountant with C&L in Jersey, and then moved with the international C&L firm to Australasia for further professional and general experience. During his ten years as a partner with C&L in Jersey, he headed the commercial sector department within the Business Assurance division, which provided audit, tax and accounting services to both local and international businesses trading in the Channel Islands and worldwide. For several years he also had responsibility for the firm's corporate finance work, computer assurance, and management consulting services in the Channel Islands. He was also responsible for the firm's internal financial administration for much of his time as a partner. Clients looked after by Mr Henkhuzens included some of Jersey's largest listed trading groups, companies trading in Africa involved with pipeline construction and gas distribution, and numerous private companies and groups concerned with property development and holding, tourism, retail and professional services. For several years he was also the engagement and review partner responsible for C&L's services to a significant number of subsidiary companies of a European country's state energy group, with oil and gas interests in Tunisia, Algeria, Angola, Egypt and China.

Turning to his involvement in the business and local community, Bob Henkhuzens is a former president of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce and is currently vice-president of the Jersey Society of Chartered and Certified Accountants. He is a former chairman of Jersey Business Venture, and former vice-chairman of the States of Jersey Trade and Industry Sub- committee. He is proud to have been associated with the Centre Ville Group from its very early days, and he was chairman of the Group from its inception to the middle of 1999. The Group has been particularly successful in forming new and effective partnerships between the private and the public sectors in respect of town centre management projects and issues.

Through the foregoing appointments, Mr Henkhuzens has established good relationships with many of the Island's leading politicians and civil servants. Current positions include that of a member the Organising Committee concerned with the transition of the Post Office from a public sector department to a limited liability company. He is also a member of the Tourism Strategy Steering Group, the Finance & Economics Committee's nominated member of the Town Park Steering Group and a committee member of the Jersey Finance Industry Association.

Bob Henkhuzens is married and has made his home in Jersey. He is currently working as an independent consultant and adviser, and is a director of various private companies. He is very pleased to allow his name to go forward for an election of non-States members of the Waterfront Enterprise Board, and believes that with his background in civic regeneration as well as his business experience he has much to contribute to the development of the Board and its activities over the next three years.