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Another day, another bit of TV and political history made: Rishi Sunak, finally ripping off the electoral bandaid, being literally and metaphorically drowned by downpours and the sounds of D.Ream. More like a N.Ightmare.
Not only did the PM deliver a moment as chaotic and infamously iconic as the professor interrupted by his children live on air or that Prince Andrew interview, but also facilitated the resurgence of Labour’s landslide victory anthem and mega-earworm, Things Can Only Get Better (or is that ‘wetter’?), in the charts.
Jersey is itself six months into a new government and two years away from its own election, so, in 2026, will things truly, tangibly be better?
In the way of ‘big stuff’, we’re promised a “spade in the ground” for a new acute hospital at Overdale by 2025, and legislation paving the way for the introduction of assisted dying.
But, right now, it’s hard to envision what else. Our Chief Minister has pledged to go “back to basics”, and recently spoke out against a culture of “strategy after strategy after strategy” in Government (News, P70).
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with strategies, in more recent years these appear to have become ‘wishlists’ rather than ‘plans’, leaving stakeholders from sectors spanning hospitality to health repeatedly frustrated when no action – and no funding – follows.
One vital strategy promised for 2025 where we need to see deeds over words relates to how AI and automation will be used to improve the public sector – the wage bill for which topped £583m last year (up £73m).
While that growth was largely fuelled by the 7.9% pay award, the main issue in recent years has been back-office bloating (the number of civil servants rose 46% between 2017 and 2022). This is exactly where tech could help, allowing reinvestment in the frontline, whose own jobs could be made easier too. Less data logging and digibureaucracy means more bobbies on the beat, more doctors diagnosing.
Tangible change. That’s not going to happen overnight (our multi-million eGov and ITS shame show that), but it must happen quickly. The excellent Impact
Jersey initiative which gives grants to projects helping solve some of the island’s biggest challenges with tech is a study in how to go about that (News Focus, P14).
Jersey has a history of innovation and punching above its weight – JEC’s “courageous” move to tackle the “energy trilemma” in the 1980s with a subsea cable being just one example (Cover story, P4) – but it doesn’t always have to. As Digital Jersey’s
Tony Moretta explains, sometimes it’s better to move fast with tried-andtested solutions, than move first (plenty of solutions can be found in our Innovation supplement, P39).
Speaking of ‘fast’, do take the time to read – and listen – to our interview with motorsport and local dealership legend Derek Warwick (P20). Approaching a milestone birthday and anniversary, he candidly, and movingly, reflects on how he channelled challenges and tragedy into growth and innovation on and off the racetrack.
Enjoy Connect.
