The JEP has invited the 21 Senatorial candidates to answer a series of questions covering a wide range of key topics in the election.

Question: Should Jersey aim to meet the UN recommendation of giving 0.7% of its gross national income (£23.8m in 2007) in overseas aid?



Daniel Wimberley
Jersey, one of the richest places on earth, can afford to meet this target and it is absurd of anyone to claim otherwise. We can and should stand ‘side by side’, as the amazing public response to the tsunami and the ongoing work of so many Islanders to help the poor shows. Note that we also need States
ethical procurement and investment policies. I have exciting ideas about how Jersey could improve overseas aid and a clear mechanism for funding.

Adrian Walsh
It is important that a fiscally rich country, even those outside the UN like Jersey, helps to support others through times of trouble and misfortune. But I do not think that an increase to £23.8m is viable with our current expenditure in the States running wild. We need full sets of auditable accounts to be able to reduce our costs to see if we can increase the amount to figures much higher than we currently give.

Senator Mike Vibert
Jersey should continue to give generously to overseas aid both in monetary terms and through its Overseas Aid projects. Jersey should not lag behind other countries in its giving but consideration needs to be given as to whether a percentage of gross national income is the right measurement for comparison purposes. Jersey’s GNI is inflated by the substantial amount of bank deposits and other offshore funds held locally and other comparators should be investigated.

Deputy Peter Troy
Over time this is a policy that we should implement. We can increase our commitment annually. However, as we have tight budgets at present our commitment has to be staggered to increase at a meaningful rate. In a society where there is wealth there should be an effort to help others around the world. The richest governments of the world agreed to the 0.7% of GNI in 1970, and almost all rich nations fail this test. The current average is 0.4%. The only countries that exceed 0.7% (in 2007) are Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg and Denmark. The (USA) donates only 0.16%.

Montfort Tadier
Charity begins at home, and we should do as much as we can to support local charities. However, charity does not end there. We live in an inter-linked world. During my time as a volunteer working with Oxfam in Jersey, I have been surprised both by the extremely generous spirit of Jersey folk and the affluence that is in the Island, shown by the high quality of items that get donated.

Deputy Geoff Southern
Ministers set targets for everything but baulk at this UN target. This represents a fourfold increase in funding and must be done over time. Our economic growth rate hit 7% in 2007, way beyond the target of 2%. Meanwhile growth rates in Africa continue to languish. Investment in local African business, working on the principle of a ‘hand up not a hand out’ is the way forward. Rampant economic growth can be detrimental (impact on immigration, house prices and green fields). Some economic discipline in the ‘go-for-growth’ mindset could be achieved by allocating some excess revenues to overseas aid investment.

Senator Paul Routier
Jersey should aim to give as much as we can. As a commissioner for Overseas Aid I would like to see an increase in our aid programme, but I do not currently consider that we can achieve the full UN target. Although Jersey’s aid programme is below the UN target we do achieve a significant amount because, unlike other jurisdictions, we work directly with agencies in the field and not with governments. The value of Jersey’s own work teams who go and build schools and hospitals have greater significance than just making a cash payment to meet the UN target.

Trevor Pitman
 As someone who is not yet in the States and party to all the relevant and inter-related information I am quite happy to state that I do not yet feel I have enough knowledge on this. There is nothing worse than politicians – or would-be politicians – making statements just because they wish to appear the ‘expert’. We have too much of that already with damaging consequences for everyone. I certainly believe that, as an affluent island, Jersey should endeavour to work toward these targets as a matter of principle. We must also balance overseas aid with needs ‘at home’.

Chris Perkins
The world is US$31billion short of its US$50billion target agreed for aid at the Gleneagles summit of 2005. The target of 0.7% of gross national income was agreed nearly 40 years ago by the rich countries of the world as a target for overseas development aid. This aid has actually been reducing in recent years. Jersey as one of the richest per capita states in the world should be setting an example to the world and reaching or even exceeding the 0.7% target.

Mick Pashley
At a time when our world is getting smaller by the day and each country or government relies on aid, either financially or in many other ways, I feel it is important to maintain that everyone is able to do their best in this area. I see no reason why we cannot aim to meet the UN recommendations and help to ensure a better standard of living for those less fortunate than ourselves.

Nick Palmer
Yes. The argument is often advanced that although Jersey currently pays less than some, we compensate for this by allocating funds much more efficiently than other jurisdictions. That may be all well and good, but truly we could make a much bigger impact if we paid the full 0.7% as efficiently as we do our lower current contribution. Those who point out other countries not making the full 0.7% are embarrassing, as we are one of the wealthiest places on the planet.

Senator Philip Ozouf
Yes, this should be our aim. In global terms we are a wealthy society and we have an obligation to help those who are not as fortunate as we are. Jersey is unique in the way it targets the aid – this must continue. It is important to remember that the people of Jersey also voluntarily make large charitable donations and this boosts our contribution. We should continue to support the voluntary sector, including the Overseas Aid Volunteering Scheme and organisations such as Side By Side, who make us one of the most generous places in the world.

Jeremy Maçon
Definitely not. The people have made it quite clear that they believe ‘charity begins at home’. While we need charities like Help a Jersey Child we obviously need more funds to remain in the Island so why should a tiny island like ours be made to feel obligated to meet a quota set by huge countries? In times of disaster the people of Jersey voluntarily rise to the challenge and of their own free will go to extraordinary lengths to assist people in desperate need. Charity is something given from the heart not through taxation.

Deputy Alan Maclean
Yes. As a wealthy community we have a moral obligation to help the less fortunate in poorer countries. The target of 0.7% of GNI should be phased in over an agreed period. The financial implications need to be budgeted.

Ian Le Marquand
Jersey should be generous in its approach both towards overseas aid and towards its poorer people. Our overseas aid programme is particularly creative involving direct personal links with trustworthy foreign people. During the recent prosperous years the States have made slow progress in increasing their percentage of giving and this is well below the recommended level. However, an immediate move to £23.8 million per year is unrealistic and would require either much higher taxation or serious damage to local public services. I would like to see a phased programme of annual increases in giving of about 10% per year.

Nick Le Cornu
Much of our wealth is plundered from developing countries through our major industry. We should first of all stop the abuse that allows millions of pounds to be removed from the poor peoples of the world – and we should aim to increase our contribution to overseas aid too – but 0.7% is an unreasonable expectation.

Cliff Le Clercq
Telling the average man you have a £45 million shortage so you will tax his goods including heat and food to fund it then give half the amount you are short of to some country far away seems questionable to most. I understand the disparity between needing clean water, eye clinics etc and paying GST on goods. I also understand the spiritual principles of tithing and human generosity, but cut according to your cloth, as charity begins at home. We don’t need the UN telling us how much to give.

Mike Higgins
I believe that we live in one world and have a responsibility to our fellow world citizens but our obligations and duties start closer to home. Just as parents have a duty to look after their children before all else the States has a duty to look after its own citizens before all others. That does not mean to say that it should give no aid or that we have to provide luxuries to our own citizens before thinking of others. We need to deal with our own needy – the ill, the elderly, disadvantaged children etc before meeting the UN’s target.

Mark Forskitt
Certainly. We cannot credibly claim to be an integral player in a global community unless we meet our international obligations. This extends not just to overseas aid but to C02 emissions too.

Deputy Sarah Ferguson
It would be excellent to do this but we do have commitments in Jersey.

Deputy Alan Breckon
The grant proposed for the Overseas Aid Commission in 2009 is £7.7m. We should keep this under review and base future increases on our own ability to fund ongoing aid. The target of 0.7% of GNI appears to be some way off.