Gabriel Raimondo
For Deputy Of St Brelade
Hi, I'm Gabriel
A fresh voice ready to make a change.
I am Jersey born and have always lived in my home parish of St Brelade. I started my schooling years at Mont Nicolle Primary School before moving to Victoria College where I am now sitting my A-level exams for Biology, Chemistry and Maths.
One of my biggest passions in life is Magic. I started almost 10 years ago and since then it has taken me around the world, allowing me to meet many amazing people. Most importantly though, it has given me the ability to think quickly, speak confidently and listen to what someone is telling me, both verbally and non verbally.
In early 2024, I qualified as a dog trainer in the UK and, with the help of my dad, started DogsGoneWalkies. It was set up as a dog walking and training business aiming to make pet services more affordable. The business grew to have multiple employees and over 40 dogs on our regular walking schedules before I recently chose to step away and pursue assistance dog training. In the just over a year and a half running the business, I was met with constant red tape, restriction and regulation from the government. This simpily pushed up the cost to my clients, while reducing my already slim profit margin.
Now for a more personal part of my journey that I don't often share. In September of 2022, my cousin Sam took his life. I witnessed the devastating effect it had on my family, my uncle and ultimately on me. Over the last few years, I've told Sam's story, researched and listened. Depression is all around us and its almost impossible to spot. It doesn't have an age, gender or look. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 45 and teenagers - yet is still widely misunderstood. I felt very fortunate to see the baton of hope when it came to Jersey last august and talk to many people who have been affected by suicide.
Anyway, that's just a little bit about me.
Thanks for reading, Gabriel.
"If I leave now, I fear there may be nothing to come back to"
- Gabriel Raimondo
My Manifesto
A fresh voice ready to make a change.
Jersey is too expensive and lacks opportunity for islanders. I have lived in St Brelade my entire life and I see first-hand the issues affecting islanders and driving them away.
Friends of mine are leaving for university and aren't sure they will come back. This is simply unsustainable.
The cost of living is the biggest issue facing our island. Every household is feeling the squeeze, whether at the pump, at the checkout, or opening their energy bills. Food in Jersey can cost up to 40% more compared to low cost, UK alternatives. I will push to remove regulation and planning barriers that are preventing lower-cost supermarkets entering the island. I believe essentials such as food should never be taxed, and I would support removing GST from them if explored by the next government, alongside other measures to drive down costs. Energy is a massive expense. I will push to see new builds future-proofed by bringing in regulation requiring solar panels, good insulation and air source heat pumps fitted as standard, proven methods to significantly reduce long term costs for homeowners.
Jersey lacks good job opportunities past finance. Our finance sector is the backbone of our economy and must stay competitive, but we cannot rely on it alone. A lack of variety makes our economy unstable and unattractive, particularly to young people returning from university with skills and ambition but nowhere to take them. We must better support startups and small businesses by simplifying processes and reducing unnecessary costs, while also encouraging established businesses to relocate to the island, bringing a broad range of well-paid jobs with them.
Transport in Jersey is a key issue. With more cars than people, traffic is a growing problem. We need to extend bus services to provide an affordable, convenient way to travel around the island, with longer hours, more frequent services and new routes.
Jersey's cycle routes are already a real asset. We must build on that foundation with a connected, island-wide network that makes cycling to work and school safer and easier for everyone.
Alongside these island wide pillars, I am committed to St Brelade. We must ensure we are getting the best value for money with parish rates, with spending focused on maintaining quality roads, preventing night-time speeding and updating play equipment for our parks.
Our current Assembly lacks teamwork which creates delays and crushes good ideas. I will work with members to get things done, making our island a better place, without wasting time and money. For this reason, I am endorsing Value Jersey's policy principles to tackle the cost of living, the cost of government and the cost of business.
Vote for a fresh voice on the 7th June 2026