Deputy calls for suggestions to mark centenary of women's vote

Monday 01 May 2017

Deputy Louise Doublet is asking for people to come forward with ideas on how to celebrate the centenary of women being able to vote in Jersey.

The centenary of the legislation enabling women to vote in the Island was adopted in 1919, a year after the UK adopted a similar legislation. Deputy Doublet hopes that celebrating the landmark will get Islanders to be more engaged with politics.

Recently, Deputy Doublet asked the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee, St. Clement's Constable Len Norman, if the committee had any plans to commemorate the centenary.

She told Express: "I was reading a report from Professor Sarah Childs, from Bristol University, called 'The Good Parliament.' In it, she mentions the commemoration of the centenary of women vote in the UK and it got me thinking about when that would happen in Jersey. I learned that it would fall in 2019 and wondered if there was anything planned in Jersey to commemorate it. There wasn't but now that I have asked the questions, it looks like there is going to be something happening."

Connétable Norman said that the Committee "...is extremely keen to promote public awareness of the Island's political history and I am certainly happy to add the suggestion to the committee's agenda for consideration." He also added "...anyone who has ideas, who wishes to make suggestions to the Committee, I'm only too happy to receive them in any way whatsoever."

Deputy Doublet has her own ideas for the celebration but she is waiting for members of the public to make their suggestions first. "I would really like to see members of the public, girls out there who are not interested in politics or young women, come forward and contribute their ideas. I will meet with the Chairman of the Committee but I want to give it a little bit of time and call on members of the public first to contact us with any ideas. We have plenty of time to plan it!"

"I think that what is important is that whatever happens is not too, too expensive given the current climate. I believe that whatever money is spent is an investment. If it helps people more interested and a bit more engaged in politics, not just girls but boys as well, all sectors to the community, then I think it is an investment worth making."

In a bit to get Islanders more engaged with the political scene, Deputy Doublet, the States trustee for the Community Relations trust, is also pushing for a more diverse and inclusive assembly. 

She explained: "I would like to see a group set up to address the issue of diversity. The Good Parliament report mentions the Reference group on inclusion and representation, it's a team approach with men and women working together to improve diversity. I am hoping that the chief minister or another male member will work with me to set this up. I hope that as an assembly, as a collective, we can encourage people from different sectors of the community to come forward and join us."