Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel has confirmed that he will not seek a fourth term in the Assembly, citing ‘personal reasons’, and was looking forward to a ‘long summer holiday’ before deciding exactly what he would do after politics.
The St Lawrence Deputy was first elected in 2008 and his decision to stand down means that the parish will be seeking a new Deputy for the first time in a decade.
He was elected as a first-time candidate in 2008 and was returned unopposed in 2011 and 2014 alongside fellow parish Deputy John Le Fondré.
Deputy Noel was appointed Infrastructure Minister following the 2014 election. Before that he served as an assistant minister in both the Health and Treasury Departments. He said: ‘I feel I have done quite a bit over the last nine years. In the last three years with the Infrastructure Department we have done a tremendous amount.
‘I think if I had to pick one thing that I was most proud of it would be the valley path in St Peter.’
The final stage of the three-kilometre cycle and pedestrian path was finished and officially opened earlier this year.
He added that for the past six years he had had responsibility for the States property portfolio, and was pleased to see the new police station, which he admitted was a ‘controversial one’, and the new St Martin’s School – ‘a non-controversial one’ – finally open their doors.
Deputy Noel added that he hoped the department would be in a strong position for the next minister when they came to take over.
‘Hopefully the department is in a good place,’ he said. ‘The staff have achieved a lot in the last few years and hopefully that work will continue.
‘It is a very different department now than it was three years ago. Jersey Property Holdings has been transferred across and we have seen a 20 per cent reduction in the workforce, which we have tried to handle with as much care to the staff as possible.
‘I think it is in good shape and it has got the momentum to keep going.’
So far, 18 serving politicians and two Islanders from outside the States have announced their intended candidacy for the general election on Wednesday 16 May 2018.
