Thursday, 2nd September 2010

Business from the Jersey Evening Post

Jersey to open office in India

Senator Philip Ozouf in India

Senator Philip Ozouf in India

JERSEY is to open an office in India to increase trade between the Island and the sub-continent.

Treasury Minister Philip Ozouf made the announcement after returning from a visit to the country as head of a delegation of 20 people who aimed to increase business links.

The minister said that the trip had been a great success. He held talks with senior officials at the Indian finance ministry and it was agreed that a formal tax agreement between India and Jersey should be signed.

It was also decided to establish a way of briefing the Indian government about relationships between Island and Indian businesses.

Article posted on 24th November, 2009 - 3.01pm

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20 Article Comments

  1. Lee

    Of course India has done well through these difficult times, they have poached enough of our back office bank jobs over the years.

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  2. Jersey Cow

    Before we start blaming India for poaching back office bank jobs, have a think about the major banks and institutions that jumped at the chance of paying minimal (by comparison) wages to extremely highly educated staff in order to ‘trim’ operation costs.

    India is an up and coming emerging region with huge potential so I can totally appreciate the smart move in opening an office there, well done Treasury Minister!

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  3. Mogit

    I’m not surprised he’s laughing,he has just arranged for all the unemployed to be shipped out
    to the new call centre he has just opened !!!

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  4. Phil

    Memo from Phil to Sir

    Well boss, got away with it, we can now all go and get some decent curries rather than having the takeaway here and paying GST, Good week around really, you fixed the free booze on the boats in the harbour, now we can travel to India and the locals all pay for it – brilliant plan!

    If, as we know we are going to, put GST up just a little bit more say 10% can I have some more offices please sir? Argentina would be good because I do like a good steak and they really do need to trade something with us. Shall I get a consultant on it?

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  5. SWE

    Phil – grow up

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  6. Trevor

    What are India going to bring to Jersey to boost our economy.
    Can someone help me out here and explain who paid for the 20 people to go all the way to India to help us out?
    Ozouf please explain?

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  7. reggio

    These trips to far flung destinations smack to me of desperation to attract business any business to Jersey . I will be convinced of their effectiveness when some of the ever increasingly empty office space currently on offer is let to a new outfit coming to the Island.

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  8. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    In exchange for new business are they giving out our phone numbers? I’ve just had a cold call from India offering a wonderful holiday for a selected few. Coincidence?

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  9. Ahura Mazda

    How wonderfull! as Senator ozouf rejoices at the thought of bringing “money” to the island.
    The desperation of it all is very “cringe worthy”.

    Bring your yachts and all and forget about GST,bow,bow beg beg.The ordinary 19,000 people that voted against it in the first place they can go and get stuffed.

    Remember people of Jersey,what you vote for hangs around your neck like Jacob marleys chains!

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  10. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    Turns out its a very old scam. Watch out, and don’t give any personal details out at all.

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  11. Anti-Moan

    Here we go again Jersey, lets just moan. Let’s bemoan the ministers for getting paid to go on a trip overseas. Lets not focus on the possibility that this may increase business for Jersey. I’m glad for one that a sizeable delegation went – it increases further the island’s profile and intentions with India. Furthermore I commend the efforts of Finance at looking to emerging markets as a way of reducing our dependence on UK financial links.
    Maybe we should give it a year and see if there is any tangible benefit to this trip. Why judge when the facts haven’t even emerged yet? And Phil, what are you on about? The most unfunny thing I have read in my life.

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  12. Pip Clement

    There is a kind of logic to it.
    They are doing the BRIC countries in no particular order.
    Russia, India and China have been ticked off now.
    I am expecting them to visit Brazil in the New Year, ten days in Rio at the end of January should recharge those little batteries nicely!
    As an added bonus Phillip Ozouf, confidante of the finance industry and world statesman, will have an unanswerable claim to be Chief Minister when it comes vacant.

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  13. jub

    I met mr Ozouf in mumbai last week while he was visiting infrasoft tech.
    I have been sent here for uni graduate intensive I.T training for a duration of 3 months. Other Jersey students have been sent before me and others will be sent after me. This is all paid for by the Indian company Infrasoft. It’s a huge benifit for students looking to get I.T training and has been a great experience so far.

    Infrasoft does alot of buissiness with the islands banks and has a growing jersey based office.

    These are just two of the advantages of having close links with India that many people are ignorant about.

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  14. Michael Neal

    #9 : ‘Bring your yachts and all and forget about GST…’

    Unfortunately, this is incorrect. The period for which a yacht can be moored in Jersey before GST must be paid on it has been increased from 12 months to 18 months. It cannot therefore be forgotten.

    Since this story was in the JEP last week, I’m amazed at how quickly misinformation becomes fact.

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  15. Mike

    You’re all a wee bit cynical.

    For starters most attendees were businessmen paying their own costs.

    And as for a jolly…whilst no doubt some enjoy travel for travel’s sake (and why shouldn’t they -who wrote the rule that work shouldn’t be a pleasure?), by the time you’ve made the 5th speech in a row, talked to complete strangers with broken english over a glass of foul wine, or gone to another coffee meeting you’re pretty ready for home.

    And for those who question what we could get out of India…its called business!

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  16. david brown

    (13) jub, good to hear this, bangalore , and hydradbad are it savvy places, and fiar play to them , thesedays even the basic education standards are good.
    however , as a british passport holder, i can not legally buy land or a home , require a visa for a holiday, and a visa to legally take up employment.
    i wish india , all the luck in the world , fantastic place.

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  17. Adrian

    So the big O’s in India now. I wonder what they think of him out there?

    By the way this will be our next chief minister. I myself have no confidence whatsoever in this person.

    Ask yourselves why the need to go further and further afield to get business?

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  18. C Le Verdic

    What a laugh.

    Everyone moaning about Ozouf going there and then we find that the island has been sending Jub #13 and others to India to learn about buissiness(sic).

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  19. Mike

    Adrian

    I’m asking myself and all I can come up with is that in the modern world you need to put some effort into drumming up business because if you sit on your proverbial @rse doing nothing your economy will die….. or did you have another reason which includes conspiracy and some rant against our Treasury Minister?

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  20. Adrian

    Mike in my opinion rants are reserved for non establishment figures by the JEP and the other media. Senator Syvret being a prime example, as far as I am concerned.

    I myself like balanced, unbiased reporting with both sides put forward so that the readers can decide what is the likely truth of things.

    As per business further afield why is this? It is pretty obvious to me.

    Agreed the economy is in danager of dying but what do you expect when no one has the nowse to diversify into different areas away from finance?

    As I have said before it is finance, finance and finance over here now Where is the balanced economy? I ask where is this getting us? Ever decreasing circles by the looks of it.

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