The Blog of Deputy Sam Mézec
sammezec.blogspot.com/About
Current positions held -
Chairman of Reform Jersey, political party.
Member of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (States)
Member of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel (States)
Member of the St Helier Youth Committee (Parish)
Previous employment -
Baker & Partners Litigation Firm (formerly BakerPlatt)
New World Trust
Voluntary positions/ work -
Chairman of the La Motte Street Youth Centre Studio Management Group in St Helier.
Gateway Advisor at the Hammersmith and Fulham Citizens Advice Bureau.
Founding partner of "Jersey Dead" an informal business which puts on small concerts for artists of alternative genres.
Achievements -
Whilst at Hautlieu, I took part in the Leeds University Maths Challenge, and came in the top 0.2% in the country. I was subsequently invited to join the National Association for Gifted and Talented Youth.
I was runner up in the BakerPlatt Youth Advocacy competition. The final round included presenting a case in the Royal Court, presided over by the then Bailiff Sir Philip Bailhache.
Upon graduation at Hautlieu I received the Cyd Le Bail "Gad Fly" award for my political activities and for encouraging young people to vote in the 2008 election.
Political experience -
I was one of Jersey's representatives at the 4th Commonwealth Youth Parliament. At this event I was elected Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister. The main event was a debate in the House of Lords on climate change.
I canvassed for the Labour Party in the London Mayor/ Assembly elections in 2012.
I founded the group, Reform Jersey, to campaign for greater democracy in Jersey.
I was an organiser and main spokesman for the "A Team", which campaigned for Option A in the 2013 electoral reform referendum.
I am a member of the Jersey Human Rights Group.
Politics -
I consider my politics to be left of centre. Essentially, I believe that the state has a positive role to play in building and maintaining a society in which every person is able to achieve their potential, regardless of their background, and in which those of the least means amongst us are taken care of. I believe that power and wealth should be in the hands of the many, not the few and that everyone has rights and responsibilities to ensure that our community is built on fairness and social justice to achieve a prosperity that can be enjoyed by all.
But most importantly, I believe in democracy's ability to produce the best results. When people are given power, they have to develop responsibility. When criticism can be incorporated into the decision making process, the decisions made will ultimately be better.
I think Jersey is served badly by a political system that is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and is held back by politicians who do not have a 21st Century outlook on democracy. Jersey is a wonderful place to live and we are certainly very lucky, but I believe that the islands potential is far from being reached.
Other interests -
I enjoy watching and playing in rock bands. I am a 2nd kyu brown belt at Shito Ryu Shukokai Karate.Categories: Politics.
