The Allies
Pat Lucas
When I look at our Jersey Government I see that, apart from a couple of exceptions, the "Council of Ministers" at the top of the States Assembly and those with power, wealth and influence who work closely with them to run this Island stand shoulder to shoulder with one another like a solid wall of steel. They rarely listen to anything of importance ordinary residents of Jersey have to say. They make a show of asking our opinion on certain issues but most of us know that we count for little or nothing in their scheme of things. They see themselves as the Extremely Important Ruling Party. Anyone who dares to contradict this “absolute truth” runs the serious risk of being ridiculed, rubbished or discredited.
Please tell me why most of you ignore the needs of our people who struggle to keep pace with the high prices of property, rents and goods and services? And now you want to hike up the Goods and Services Tax to 5%. What are you trying to do to our people? Introduce a fair Corporation Tax onto UK and foreign Companies so that they pay the same rate of tax as our Jersey companies have to pay. That should bring in enough to be going along with for a while! Are you afraid they might leave? Don’t be. Have the courage of your convictions. That’s what we want. Why do you close your ears and your minds when our people ask you to stop covering large parts of our Island including the Waterfront with concrete eyesores. We love our beautiful Island and it breaks our hearts to see it ruined a bit more day after day. And why can’t you see that the over expensive, and possibly highly dangerous, new incinerator being built at La Colette was not what most of us wanted? We tried hard enough to let you know. Again we were ignored.
Don’t talk down to us. As I pointed out in an earlier blog, we are not stupid. We see the unfairness and the gross injustices inflicted on this Island and its people and we would appreciate a few straight answers please. Don’t take what I’m saying too personally. I want answers to my questions because right now you are in positions of power but it’s not about you as individuals. It’s about our Island. Our whole system of Government is a mess. It doesn’t work, it’s not going to work and needs changing as a matter of urgency. Perhaps taking another look at “Clothier” might help.
We need a complete overhaul of Jersey’s Government. Meanwhile, until that happens, those who are elected to represent us still have to work in it. For this reason I have the utmost respect for those people - the States Members who are aware of what is happening to Jersey, try to change it for the better, look after their constituents and battle on year in year out for democracy, fairness and justice for the rest of us. It amazes me how they have the strength and the heart to go on sometimes. I must emphasise here that I’m not referring to a particular Party. I’m talking about a sizeable group of politicians who regularly speak up for the rest of us in the States Chamber. Believe me. Such men and women do exist and they need our support. To clarify my point I’ll call them “the Allies”.
I am appealing to “the Allies” to look for a way of working together much more closely than you are doing at present. Perhaps the ideal way would be to form yourselves into one single, strong, highly disciplined Party allowing for just a few Independents who support you whenever they feel they can. That would be the basis for an honourable Opposition – goodness knows we need one if you want to penetrate that wall of steel without knocking yourselves out entirely.
If you can’t or are not prepared at this stage to form a strong Opposition Party then, above all, please recognise and thrash out your grievances in private and then put them aside. I’m not asking you to put on one another’s uniforms or become little clones of one another. That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m asking you to stand shoulder to shoulder with your colleagues whenever you possibly can. You really have to present a solid, strong united front or risk being far less effective than you could be. Together you will be strong. That is what so many of us are expecting from you. Please do this for us.
As for the rest of us – the ordinary people of Jersey - I believe we must do much more to support those States Members who work on our behalf. We could at least find out more about what each candidate stands for and get out there and vote at election time if we haven’t so far. Some of them have really put themselves out in their own time and at their own expense for individuals in their constituencies and those people still didn’t bother to vote. How would that make us feel if the boot was on the other foot!
We could also put forward our views and suggestions or send them a message once in a while. We won’t always agree with what they do or say. So let’s tell them what we want. Phone them up, e-mail them, take an interest in what is going on in our Island, learn all we can. United and working together with us we will be strong. More than that we might even open our eyes and see that these politicians are made of flesh and blood like we are. OK so they’re paid to do a job. I get paid for my job too but that doesn’t mean I don’t need a nudge in the right direction or a kind word sometimes. I respond well to that sort of treatment. So do we all. That can’t be asking too much can it?
Unfortuntely Jersey has a very biased media o fair proportion of Islanders only read and listen to the local media. It is the same as only reading the say Daily Mail and believing all that is written it in. You have to do more to educate people about the power of the internet and blog sites. Only then will a more informed and balanced picture begin to emerge.
ReplyDeleteThings will only change for the better in Jersey when the more critical elements in the States Assembly form themselves into an alternative policy grouping with an agreed programme of say 6 policies on key social and economic issues. This worked in the Isle of Man albeit for a right-wing grouping and Im sure it could work in Jersey.
ReplyDeleteThings will only change for the better in Jersey when more critical States members form themselves into an alternative policy grouping capable of engineering progressive change in social and economic policies. This worked albeit for a right-wing grouping in the Isle of Man, and im sure it would work in Jersey if these individuals took a common position on say 6 key social and policy issues.
ReplyDeleteYou are 'oh so right'
ReplyDeleteThe format of the States at this time is a mere travesty of what Clothier proposed.
I agree that the allies are disjointed.
At the moment the collective vote amounts to about nine, but on occasion can be increased, as was the case with Deputy Powers' booze and fags ammendment.
There are not enough alternative members in the House.
The problem arises at the election when so many alternative candidates attempt to gain votes, the inevitable result is a complete dilution of the vote. No one wins but the establishment.
In the interest in 'thrashing out your differences' I would dearly like to see the the alternative candidates get together well before the hustings and decide amongst themselves (perhaps with the aid of a couple of public meetings and egos permitting) to select just one or two thus increasing the chance of gaining a valuable seat.
JH
TEST COMMENT, JO. 06.07.2010
ReplyDeleteIf we are to continually prop up the finance industry, we need to introduce more progressive taxation. TAX the individuals that are the true beneficiaries of the island’s finance industry - those who come over and earn the high salaries, inflate house prices and put pressure on our infrastructure. Subsidising corporation tax through GST and taxing the lower and middle income earners by the means of increased income tax is an insult to the hard working individuals in this island.
ReplyDeleteIt is also an insult to allow short term profiteering on the back of individuals like myself who have the ‘dirty passport’. We not entitled to reside anywhere in the world apart from within British dependencies. I do not want to leave this island. I love the place. However, when times are good, people can flock here and make their money. When times are bad it will be for the indigenous population to clear up the mess and plug future deficits. Is that right?...is that fair?!
Diversification of our industries is key.
I agree with John Heys to a certain extent with regards to looking at redeveloping our tourism industry. However, John, the true benefit of our tourism industry is immeasurable. I wouldn’t discount its impact. Tourists come to Jersey and spend money. This money is then recycled within the island to provide jobs, and, with GST and income tax, increase tax revenues.
You may have heard in the news last week that the States have allocated £500,000 to promoting the island. But one has to question – is this truly the answer to our problems? I seem to recall reading an article earlier in the year which disclosed that Jersey ranked high in the search ranking on Expedia.co.uk
I doubt we have problems attracting interest. How much of that interest translates into business leads? Very little. It may be an idea to subsidise the cost of traveling to the island. We can achieve that through taxing the corporations and wealthy individuals that have encouraged the inflated prices.
What we need to achieve is a government that truly represents the interests of the population. That can only be achieved if this population votes. As individuals we must chat to friends family and colleagues, and work to familarise them with the politicians that stand with their values, in their interests.
At the same time, we need these members (/candidates) to work together, to talk and resolve their differences and join together to form a party of progressives, who, through compromising, have clear policies to which they will be held accountable.
Hi Pat. It was interesting to read your post and I certainly agree with many of your grievances with the current political system in Jersey.
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly we have a truly unrepresentative group of people sitting in the Chamber. They are, as you point out, interested primarily with their own capital interests. It is a joke that members are permitted to invest their time into private companies whilst elected. With past and present members involved with the JEP, estate agents and the sole ferry operator on the UK route, one could argue that, with their personal wealth aside, there are constant conflicts of interest when it comes to voting.
It is frustrating to speak to members of the public who are simply ‘happy with the way things are’. Unfortunately, they do not understand the underlying problems we have here in Jersey and cannot envision the Jersey we could one day have!
So what are those problems? Well, for example, we have Deputy James Reid voted in by the constituents of ONE parish in the island who is now in a position to be dictating the 10% cuts in our entire Education Sport and Culture budget.
We rely increasingly on the finance industry. Last year I contacted the now Business Secretary in the coalition government – Vince Cable. He’s obviously in an extremely constrained position in which he has to negotiate with the Conservatives. Regardless, he said to me it was important to consider shutting down the offshore operations of the part nationalised banks, as it wasn’t logical to invest British taxpayer money in funding banks that systematically help individuals avoid paying tax. We can see further his intentions in a comment in May this year; “Tackling tax avoidance by businesses is essential and this is an area that I will be looking at closely in my new role.”
It is quite simple. We are riding on a truly unsustainable business model. Planning for the long term is not something the majority of States members are truly interested in.
Don’t get me wrong, we can’t achieve change overnight. We DO need to be competitive when it comes to finance. But NOT at the expense of the working people. NOT at the expense of putting our beautiful island in a precarious position. Our only sustainable competitive advantage is our beautiful island; the scenary, the beaches. But even that sustainability is being drawn into doubt!!
A very good comment, Jon.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to tourism, re-building the industry is not just a case of spending more on advertising: the infrastructure has been emptied.
Bed and travel availability have been shrunken because of lack of confidence in the Island by the main operators, also by the high prices.
To bring back even a minimum increase one has to consider that finance orientated hotels are not what the average Swiss or Parisian tourist wants. By all means stay upmarket and avoid the cheapies, but in that case you have to be able to offer the quality that these people are used to find elsewhere in Europe.
I have noticed here, in Italy, a real interest to visit the Island, Italians are good spenders and would make 'useful' visitors, but they are inevitably put off by the difficulty in obtaining REAL information (not just pretty fotos) on packages/travel and availability.
Once upon a time there was also a good catering college at Highlands, but when our sons applied to go there, their schools told not to bother..there is a better future in finance (they went nonetheless, and Thanks to the excellent Tutors).
Plus the Tourism administration, when we operated in the Island, were far to influenced by a few powerful hotel groups, and really were miles away from what the tourist expected from the Island, often the case of having the wrong, inexperienced, Senator in charge of the industry
It will takes years to rebuild a tourist industry before it can provide a real benefit to the Island.
Jo Angela
The people of Jersey have democratically elected the current government, in much the same way as they recently democratically elected Francis Le Gresley, with a number of votes that exceeded the total of all supposedly 'progressive' candidates. Perhaps there just aren't as many 'unhappy' people as you seem to enjoy believing there are ? If progressives can’t make headway in the present environment of spending cuts, rising unemployment, rising taxes, and a supposedly growing level of dissatisfaction with the present government structure, then when do you honestly expect to ?
ReplyDeleteThe truth is not enough people trust ATTAC, Time for Change, The JDA or any other progressive parties to give them a sufficiently wide mandate to influence the manner in which we are governed, despite your calls for some sort of glorious uprising against the status quo. Fortunately, the majority of people can see through your rhetoric, and are scornful of many members of these organisations who continue to suckle the teat of the services which are provided largely by the taxes paid by the ORDINARY WORKING PEOPLE in the finance industry, whilst simultaneously calling for the industries downfall.
I am afraid that until you can come up with policies that will replace our main source of income, whilst continuing to sustain the level of services provided by that income (Services that we all have access to, whether they be ‘ordinary’ or whatever your perception of the opposite of ‘ordinary’ is), not enough people will switch their allegiances from the people they have DEMOCRATICALLY elected already.
Thankfully we have all been given an insight into the petty bickering which characterises left wing politics to imagine what a disaster a government of ‘progressives’ would be for this island. If you think that there are a large number of unhappy people at present, imagine what an island bereft of over half of its present income would look like if you got your wishes for some sort of glorious socialist utopia.
THERE ARE MORE OF US WHO ARE, ON BALANCE, HAPPY WITH OUR LOT, AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE GOVERNMENT WE HAVE. UNTIL YOU CAN SUGGEST CHANGES THAT WORK MORE FOR THE MAJORITY, (RATHER THAN EXPECTING THE MAJORITY TO WORK MORE FOR YOU), YOU CANNOT EXPECT TO PREVAIL.
How can Anonymous (whoever that is)talk of Democracy in this island when only 30% bother to vote, so that the established junta rule by ignoring the wishes of the majority. Le Suer's comment on the 20,000 signed pertition was "I do not care how many signatures there are, VAT will be introduced" When in action, Le Sueur's reply to a statement that little old retired ladies were finding it difficult to make ends meet, he said "they will have to shop around".
ReplyDeleteNo doubt you are happy with your lot because you are well off and so want things to stay the same, how about the 9,000 on income support who can not afford to live in this so called affluent Tax Haven?, how happy are they with the present system? What must they think when they see foreigners getting paid £950 a day for what?
You are totally wrong intimating that this island is run? (being ruined) for the majority, it is being controlled by the hugely overpaid and often hopeless civil servants and those involved with finance for themselves.
The apathetic Jersey population can not continue to accept all that is going on for much longer, the more time it takes for them to wake up the bigger the crash will be when it comes, and come it will.