Frank Walker (Jersey politician)

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Frank Harrison Walker
Image:Frank Walker Chief Minister profile.jpg
Chief Minister
Incumbent
Assumed office  Dec 2005
Preceded by	None
Constituency	States Assembly
Majority	25
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office  Dec 2002
Constituency	Jersey
Spouse	Fiona Walker (nee Spurr)
Residence	St Brelade[1], Jersey

Frank Harrison Walker is the first and current Chief Minister of Jersey, elected in 2005 by fellow States members.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Electoral History 2.1 Election as Chief Minister 3 International Relations 3.1 Consitutional Position of Jersey 3.2 Netherlands Tax Treaty 3.3 US Senate Submission 3.4 British-Irish Council 4 Other Pledges 4.1 Control of Government Expenditure 4.2 Human Rights in Jersey 4.3 Working with Senator Stuart Syvret 5 Criticism 5.1 Tax Justice Network 5.2 Over Legislation 5.3 Conflict of Interest - Jersey Evening Post 5.4 Jersey Logo 5.5 Criticism by interest groups 6 References

[edit] Biography

Walker became managing director of the Guiton Group, publishers of the Jersey Evening Post, in the 1970s and became chairman of the company but stepped down from that position in February 2005.^[2]

[edit] Electoral History

Senator Walker was first elected to the States of Jersey on December 13 1990 as Deputy of St Helier No 3 and was re-elected in 1993; he was then elected as Senator in 1996 and re-elected on December 12 2002.^[3] After his most recent election win Walker promised this would be his final term in ministerial government^[4]

[edit] Election as Chief Minister

Walker was elected Chief Minister in 2005 by a secret ballot of States members. He achieved 38 votes, Senator Stuart Syvret received 14 and there was one spoilt paper.^[5] His first responsibility was to propose the nine members who would form his Council of Ministers ^[6]: these were all elected unopposed except Senator Len Norman who was defeated by Deputy Guy de Faye.

[edit] International Relations

[edit] Consitutional Position of Jersey

Senator Walker successfully developed a framework for future relations with the United Kingdom^[7].

[edit] Netherlands Tax Treaty

Jersey committed to cooperation and information exchange on tax matters with the Netherlands, a national equivalent of the agreements the UK had forced Jersey to sign with the European Union. They also reached agreement on access to mutual agreement procedures relating to transfer pricing and the application of the Dutch participation exemption. The Dutch Finance Minister indicated this may lead to a double tax treaty.^[8]

[edit] US Senate Submission

Senator Walker submitted a 4,000-word statement to the US senate finance committee, which is reviewing offshore tax evasion, following the introduction of a bill, entitled “Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act”, which named Jersey a “secrecy jurisdiction”. In his statement, Senator Walker stated that Jersey had received a “generally compliant” verdict from the International Monetary Fund in 2003.^[9]

[edit] British-Irish Council

Senator Walker attended meetings of the Council as a representative of Jersey on 16th July 2007 ^[10], the Seventh Summit in the Isle of Man in May 2005 ^[11], and the Jersey Summit held in June 2002 ^[12]

[edit] Other Pledges

[edit] Control of Government Expenditure

As leader of the Council of Ministers at the 2005 elections he extolled the principal platforms of limiting government expenditure growth to 2.5% per annum. However he has failed to achieve these targets with expenditure growing in 2006 by 3.4% and budgeted growth for 2008 now being set at 7.1%. Spending in 2007 was also reported as £50 million ahead of budget. ^[13]

[edit] Human Rights in Jersey

In 2006, as part of evidence to the corporate services scrutiny panel he indicated that it would be "absurd to bring the human rights law into effect knowing that there were extant breaches" ^[14]; however in December 2006 the law was brought into effect and the first case against the government of Jersey was lodged with the Royal Court a month later.

[edit] Working with Senator Stuart Syvret

As part of his election promises held for the position of Chief Minister, at the public hustings both candidates gave a clear and unequivocal undertaking to work together for the first three years. Senator Syvret had significant support amongst the population and the issue of whom should be Chief Minister was one of the most divise of the 2005 election.

In August 2007 however, a private discussion between Senator Syvret and the Council of Ministers was made public by former St Lawrence Constable Iris Le Feuvre in her position as chair of the Child Protection committee. This led to a perceived lowering of confidence in the quality of child protection services ^[15]. Something which Senator Walker subsequently attributed to Senator Suvret ^[16]. This action received criticism ^[17] and a Channel Television poll found that 61% of the Jersey people backed Senator Syvret.

Senator Walker called for a vote of no confidence in Senator Syvret, who countered that Senator Walker was a 'bully' and that he was the only member of the council of ministers who would stand up to him. ^[18]

[edit] Criticism

[edit] Tax Justice Network

A major opponent for Senator Walker, in recent times, has been the Tax Justice Network. On BBC Radio Jersey talkback, he initially offered to take part in an open debate on the future of Jersey's finance industry^[19]; however the debate never took place. Having submitted a detailed analysis of why Jersey was not a tax haven to the US Senate hearing in May 2007, the Tax Justice Network responded with a submission of their own in June 2007 which re-ignited the confrontation.^[20]

[edit] Over Legislation

Following a written question in the House of Commons by Conservative MP for Romford Andrew Rosindell, it emerged that Jersey had enacted more legislation than either Guernsey or the Isle of Man.^[21]

[edit] Conflict of Interest - Jersey Evening Post

When first elected the then Deputy Walker was still in control of Jersey's only newspaper, despite widespread concern about the conflict of interest in controlling Jersey's only newspaper and effectively be in charge as Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee he was keen to maintain both positions^[22]. He eventually stepped down from that position in February 2005.^[23] Concerns continue about the level of editorial control Senator Walker still exerts over the Jersey Evening Post ^{[24] [25]}

[edit] Jersey Logo

Frank Walker introduced a new Jersey 'brand' which drew some criticism. Some people suggested that it looked more like a 'flying banana' or a 'golden goose'^[26] and that it did not represent Jersey.

[edit] Criticism by interest groups

Senator Walker is often viewed by his UK tax critics as exclusively working to benefit the interests of the finance industry.^[27]

Conversely, Senator Walker has recently come under criticims for his socialist tendencies to big government and high expenditure, his support for the finance industry and supporting industries (including businesses that he owns himself, such as IT company ITEX etc.) has also been called into question. ^[28] He has also been criticised by the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Jersey Institute of Directors and the Jersey Conservative Party for his inability to control the excessive growth in Government expenditure.^[29] He is also criticised by the Jersey Democratic Alliance, the only party in Jersey to have elected members in the house.

[edit] References

el:Φρανκ Γουόκερ

pl:Frank Walker