Carolyn Labey

Grouville Deputy Carolyn Labey is seeking a third term.
The Assistant Education Minister (4 took the proposition to the States that led to last month’s tied vote on GST exemptions on food and fuel. She also won States agreement to extend the vote to 16- and 17-year-olds.
Deputy Labey, who succeeded Deputy Imogen Nicholls in 2002, says that she will keep fighting to get GST off food.
She said: ‘I work hard, stick to my election promises and deliver a number of important goals for the community. And if it’s difficult to win some debates, I don’t give up. I see things through. Should I have the honour of being re-elected, I shall again seek the removal of GST from food and domestic energy.’
During her six years in the States, Deputy Labey has campaigned on a number of parish issues including securing the extension of playing fields for Grouville School, leading opposition to the building of a restaurant on Grouville common, establishing and organising the parish magazine, the Grouville Gazette, and leading successful campaigns against development at Seymour Inn car park, La Rocque and Le Boulivot.
She was educated at Jersey College for Girls and in Paris, and used to work in the finance industry. Deputy Labey has three children: Hannah (1, Harry (16) and Philip (14). (from thisisjersey)

Elected Unopposed...

DEPUTY Carolyn Labey will serve a third term as Deputy for Grouville after being re-elected unopposed.
On accepting office, she said that she would help the people of Jersey in these ‘challenging times’.
And she revealed that she would support Senator Freddie Cohen in a battle for Chief Minister, if he were to stand.
There was standing room only in the parish hall as Deputy Labey’s proposer, John Le Gresley, and her seconder, Christopher Scholefield, gave their reasons why she should continue in her post, including an animated comparison of the Deputy to US election hopeful Sarah Palin – ‘Grouville definitely has the better deal,’ said Mr Scholefield.
When the ten minutes were up and no one else had been nominated, Constable Dan Murphy declared that it was his pleasure that Deputy Labey would serve the parish for another three years.
Deputy Labey said that, even up until the nomination meeting, she had no idea if any other candidates would declare. ‘You can never take anything for granted,’ she said. ‘Obviously I am very happy and honoured to be re-elected and re-elected unopposed, but I have still done a lot of work to prepare for the campaign. The party has just come early. I hope that people don’t blame the person putting themselves up when it is an uncontested election.’
Deputy Labey has some strong ideas about what needs to be done to help the Island survive the challenges of the coming years. ‘During my time in government there have been lots of changes like changing the welfare system, the tax system, the Waterfront, and so on, and it has been an uphill struggle,’ she said.
‘But now it is no less challenging and we are facing the credit crunch and any affects that may have on us. The issue really is going to be to address the balance between the economy and the population and it is going to be hard work, but that’s ok.’
She also said that she is keeping her options open when it comes to ministerial positions but that she is keen to continue her work on the cultural strategy. ‘I would still like to pursue some aims of the cultural strategy and want to look towards reorganising culture in a new way,’ she said.
And Deputy Labey also said that it would be in the interests of democracy for the Chief Minister’s election to be contested and that she would like to see Senator Freddie Cohen put forward for the job.
‘I would like there to be a contested election as it is better for democracy – coming from the person who was just elected unopposed,’ she said. ‘I think that there are one or two people who might be persuaded to stand. I’d like Freddie Cohen but I know he is very keen to get the Waterfront underway and he is doing a superb job at Planning.’
Nomination paper:
Deputy Carolyn Labey (4
Address: The Barn, Le Parcq, Rue du Parcq, Grouville.
Occupation: States Member.
Proposers: Dr John Le Gresley, Advocate Chris Scholefield, Isobel Chambers, Joanne Le Couilliard, Peter Le Cuirot, John Le Maistre, René Liron, Ralph Mauger, Fiona Sangan, David Morgan.