This Is Jersey

THE 21 Senatorial candidates began their campaigning in earnest at St Clement’s Parish Hall last night.

Just over 150 people crowded into the building for the first of the parish hustings meetings.

St Clement Constable Derek Gray squeezed in six questions into the two-hour meeting by asking candidates to answer three questions at a time in two 90-second sessions.

Sten Adler asked what the candidates would do about the Island’s Goods and Services Tax in the light of the fact that a 19,000-signature petition had been ignored.

Mr Palmer said that it would be difficult to remove GST immediately but he would work to have it removed from food and fuel.
Deputy Maclean said that although he didn’t like GST, he had supported it because at the time he could not see an alternative.
Deputy Troy said that he had voted in favour of GST because he had felt that it was needed to fill a ‘black hole’ in States finances. It had been the best option available because everyone paid it.
Senator Vibert said that he had voted for GST but that he had needed convincing to do so. He described it as the ‘best of the worst taxes’.
Mr Higgins said that he had been upset that the States had failed to consult independent fiscal experts to explore an alternative to GST.
Mr Maçon said that he thought that GST had been an issue of power. Senator Wendy Kinnard had told him that she would vote en bloc with the Council of Ministers and this was why he was against the Council of
Mr Perkins said that he wanted GST to be removed from food and placed on luxury goods. He also supported an increase on capital tax.
Mr Pitman said that Jersey did not need GST and that it could be replaced by land value tax.
Senator Routier said that he agreed with GST at a low level and that it was good for the Island. He had voted to exempt food from GST.
Senator Ozouf said that GST had been the best of the bad options. He was concerned about food prices in general. They had to come down.
Mr Le Cornu told the audience that he wanted to get rid of GST and called for the public to use their vote not to reinstate the members of the ‘GST 28’ standing for election.
Mr Forskitt said that GST was an aggressive tax and that he would work hard to find something progressive to replace it.
Mr Tadier said that he was against GST and that zero-ten tax could be used to replace it.
Deputy Southern said that Jersey must aim for reasonable levels of economic growth.
Deputy Ferguson said that if GST was taken off food it would mean that people would be paying 6% tax on everything else.
Mr Wimberley said that GST should be cut and reallocated as duty on carbon importations with the money raised being used to fund public transport.
Mr Le Marquand said that he had set out his position on GST on his website.
Mr Pashley said that GST was here to stay, like it or not, and warned that if it was removed from food the government would be able to raise it by more than three per cent elsewhere.
Deputy Breckon said that he had always opposed GST and that he still did.
Mr Walsh said that he was against GST and that the government could tackle overspending to make up the difference if it was removed.
Mr Le Clercq said that he did not understand why GST exemptions were being delayed. And he thought in any case that the tax should be phased out over the next three years.

Article posted on 24th September, 2008 - 2.50pm