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STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY SENATOR E.P.VIBERT CHAIRMAN OF
SHADOW SCRUTINY ON 14th DECEMBER 2004
Members of the States will find on their desks today the latest report from the Shadow Scrutiny Panel, which I chair, on the proposed Water Law, and which the Environment and Public Services wishes to introduce.
This is the second report from this particular Panel, the first being on the agri-environment scheme.
The Panel is still dealing with the Trust Port proposals of the Harbours and Airport Committee and a report on this should be issued in mid-January 2005. The Panel also plans to produce an interim report on the Draft Waste Strategy proposed by the Environment and Public Services Committee. This is expected to be published in mid- January.
The Environment and Public Services Committee will then make its final Waste Strategy available to the public and we will scrutinize that and present a report to the States. I cannot see this happening until mid-March 2005, as it may be necessary for more public hearings to be held.
Next year, the Panel expects to tackle the proposed Goods and Services Tax when the final version is introduced by the Finance and Economics Committee in February 2005. It also hopes to tackle the cost of fuel in Jersey, both for heating and motoring, after the report into this matter has been presented to the States by the Economic Development Committee.
The Panel has also been asked to look at early years education, the cost of the postal service and the restoration of Mont Orgueil Castle.
Members are reminded that the choice of subjects is entirely in the hands of the Scrutiny Panel working with the Privileges and Procedures Committee.
In January 2005, my one year term of office as Chairman comes to a close in accordance with the decision of the States setting up the Shadow Scrutiny Panel that Chairmen should rotate during this training period. I have made it clear to the Panel that if any of the members wish to take on the role of Chairman, I will be happy to hand this over to them. Obviously, I will remain on the Panel if such a change takes place. The States will be asked to deal with this in January 2005, when I hope that more members who are not that busy with Committees will come forward to take part in the process.
I would like to place on record my thanks for the enormous amount of work carried out by the Panel consisting of Senator Jean Le Maistre, Deputy Phil Rondel, Deputy Rob Duhamel, Deputy Gerard Baudains and Deputy Bob Hill. They have taken on an enormous work-load in addition to their normal Committee work and worked way beyond the call of duty at week-ends and with early morning meetings. No one has shirked the work at all, as can be seen by the remarkable output of the Panel.
Running parallel with the work of the panel has been the effort put in by our Scrutiny Officers. This has been a totally new role for public servants and I have to say that our officer team, who had to train from scratch to combine the role of scrutiny officers with that of researchers, report writers, hospitality organisers, transcript supervisors, press managers and organisers have shown a wonderful dedication to their jobs, working long hours, often at week-ends and in the evenings. It is a tribute to the basic training they receive in the public service that they have been able to adapt so quickly to their new tasks.
I regret that I am unable to name them individually in the States this morning because each on of them deserves special thanks.
Finally, sir, I wish to thank the president of the Privileges and Procedures Committee, Deputy Roy Le Hérissier and his Vice-president, Deputy Bridge, for their great support and determination to ensure that scrutiny really delivers something meaningful to the body politic of Jersey; to the Deputy Greffier for her insightful guidance and finally, the President of the Policy and Resources Committee, Senator Frank Walker , for the full support of his Committee in this vital process.