Minister: "The entire project has been an example of our broken political system"

Monday 20 July 2020

The Housing Minister has attacked the new hospital selection process, calling it another example of Jersey’s ‘broken’ government.

Senator Sam Mezec vented his frustration after a new shortlist of five hospital sites was revealed, which includes two parks and a playing field. The People’s Park is back in the frame even though the States agreed to permanently strike it from the list last year.

“I have argued against the parks being included in the shortlist,” he said. “The States Assembly has already voted that the hospital will not go on the People’s Park, and so it is a waste of time and a detraction from the rest of the process by including it. I will also support the proposition from the Constable of St Helier to remove St Andrew's Park from the list.” He called for one of potential sites, St. Saviour's hospital, to be used for housing instead. 

Now that St Saviour's hospital is officially off the list of potential sites for the new general hospital, it should be designated for housing without delay. No excuses now.

— Senator Sam Mézec (@SamMezecJsy) July 13, 2020

Pictured: Senator Sam Mezec thinks that including the parks on the new shortlist is a waste of time and money.

The Minister believes that the new hospital saga illustrates a deeper malaise.

“The entire project has been an example of how broken our political system is. If we had a stronger political and government system when it was first identified that we would need a new hospital, we would already have had it built and open for years now. But we have a system in which nobody is able to take leadership over these key issues and the public are not able to hold their leaders to account for their decisions.

“If we had party politics, a majority government would have quickly decided on a site ten years ago, and it would have been delivered long ago. We will face the exact same issues when it comes to projects like the One Government office consolidation, and delivering more affordable housing on government-owned sites, if we continue on with our broken system that holds back our ability to deliver for the public of Jersey.”

Senator Mezec and St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft are not the only politicians frustrated at the new shortlist. The Constable of St Lawrence, Deidre Mezbourian, has said that she will fight to get Millbrook Playing Fields taken off the list.

Meanwhile, Deputy Jeremy Maçon tweeted: “Please can we stop wasting time and money and just choose Overdale as it’s clearly viable and the only politically acceptable answer.”

Please can we stop wasting time and money and just choose overdale as it’s clearly viable and the only politically acceptable answer. https://t.co/hk2jGGCS39

— Deputy Jeremy Maçon (@DeputyMacon) July 15, 2020