Community Champion to stand for election as Deputy of St Saviour

Raluca Kovacs will be standing as a Reform Jersey candidate for Deputy of St Saviour in the upcoming general election.

Raluca is a 40-year-old British Romanian, who lives in the Parish with her husband and two children. She currently works for Customer and Local Services as well as running the popular Aha restaurant in Howard Davis Park with her husband.

In 2019 Raluca was voted by the public to be a finalist for the JEP’s ‘Community Champion’ Award, and in 2021 she won the award of the same name in the ‘Our Stars’ Public Service Awards. She moved to Jersey 13 years ago and has been heavily involved in voluntary service and campaigning on progressive causes for diversity and inclusion. Further details of this can be found at the end of this press release.

Speaking on what has convinced her to stand for election, Raluca said - “I have many concerns for the Parish and the Island. The main one is the cost of living, which has an impact on so many other issues, as it’s unfortunately a vicious circle. With the huge food and housing cost on the Island, it is extremely hard to have a decent life, even when there are two full-time earners in the household. Sadly, there are still many people needing to rely on food banks and benefits to survive.”

“It is wrong to me that with prices rising, the government continues to charge GST on essentials. I really believe that the States should look again at exemptions on the items in everyday shopping baskets to help lower household budgets.”

Raluca is passionate about supporting diversity and inclusion. Having chaired the Romanian Association until March this year and previously co-chairing the HSBC Diversity and Inclusion working group, she now wishes to use this experience to represent others in the States. “We should celebrate our Island’s cultural diversity and see it as an opportunity not as a burden. We have talented people in all parts of our community. By investing in training for all interested locally, of any age, in the needed fields, we can help fill up the specialist gaps easier and support a more sustainable population policy.”

“Alongside other Reform Jersey candidates, I want to help deliver positive change for our Island, based on a credible manifesto which sets the agenda for government.”

Party leader Sam Mézec said – “I am so pleased that Raluca is running for election. Her record in serving the community is first class and shows how in touch she is with those she hopes to represent. She is hard working and driven, two qualities that are essential in any good States Member. I hope the people of St Saviour will support her.”

Notes to the Editor:

• Volunteer member of Mustard Seed Charity Jersey, supporting ongoing the ShoeBox appeal and overseas aid now for Ukraine.
• Chairperson of Romanian Association in Jersey, helping with integration into the Island of the Romanian community and other minority nationals, promoting Jersey’s heritage and culture, also taking part and having input to the recently issued Language Policy in Education. Also started and run for a few months a volunteer Romanian playgroup/school, available to everyone.
• Previously Co-Chair of the HSBC Diversity and Inclusion working group, supporting better inclusion and support in different areas, including disability. Through this work she also had input into the Extended Parental Leave Jersey legislation and to the Discrimination Law in Guernsey.
• Breastfeeding Peer Support within the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative from Family Nursing and Home Care, organising the Big Latch events and being involved in the campaign that brought up the Parental leave and Breastfeeding at work legislation in 2020.