Jersey makes history with first Deputy of colour

Thursday 23 June 2022

Beatriz Porée has made history as Jersey's first ever Deputy of colour.

Ms Porée was elected in St. Helier South alongside fellow Reform Jersey party members Sam Mézec and Tom Coles, as well as the Better Way movement's David Warr.

She describes Angola as her "country of birth" and Jersey as her "country of choice".

Born in Africa, she was educated in Portugal, but has lived in Jersey longer than in either of the other two countries.

She could hardly hold back the tears as the results were announced.

Pictured: Newly elected Deputies Beatriz Porée (St. Helier South) and Raluca Kovacs (St. Saviour).

She was the first of two Reform candidates to make history that night.

Raluca Kovacs, who was elected St. Saviour Deputy, became the first politician of Romanian heritage.

In the 2018 election, the party had already secured the first ever politician of Portuguese descent, Carina Alves.

This time around, Deputy Alves topped the poll in the St. Helier Central district.

At the end of results night, St. Helier Central re-elect Rob Ward declared Reform as the "true party of inclusion and diversity."

"Double digits. 50:50 men and women. 20% of the States. The first woman of colour. The first Romanian," he said.