Last November, Members voted in favour of hearing the public’s view of whether or not the Island’s top judge should continue to act in a dual role or be replaced in his duties in the States Assembly by an elected speaker.
The Privileges and Procedures Committee, which is responsible for States reform and standards, yesterday lodged a proposition setting the date and terms of the proposed referendum.
If PPC’s proposals are approved the question which will be put to voters in a ‘yes or no’ format will be: ‘Should the Bailiff as President of the States Assembly be replaced by a Speaker elected by States Members?’
The report accompanying the proposition, which is due to be debated by the new House on 26 June, says that the Referendum Commission, which was set up to arrange the public poll, tried to identify a question which could be ‘clearly understood’, ‘presented simply’ and provide Islanders with enough information about what they are voting on without ‘leading them towards answering yes or no’.
Some Members had called for the referendum to be held on 16 May – the same day as the general election – but the report says that there was not sufficient time to arrange it.
The main proposition calling for the Bailiff to be replaced by an elected speaker was lodged by Chief Minster Ian Gorst last year but an amendment lodged by Senator Sir Philip Bailhache arguing that the matter should go to a referendum was successfully passed by the States.
The proposition report says that the cost of the referendum could be up to £70,000, which is outside the budget of the States Greffe and would have to be paid for with reserve contingency funds.
