From Dick Shenton.
WE have just welcomed a new year and once again Jersey is headline news in the national media.

This time we are guilty of failing to provide our people with protection against their loss of employment. Woolworths, through their accountants, are using the lack of a local redundancy law to ignore their responsibilities to their staff who have been treated in a disgraceful way.

The sum total involved is less than the cost of the banana logo and far less than the cheques provided to certain ailing airlines to maintain year-round services at the Airport. We know what happened there – one airline sold out, after a lavish luncheon, and the others opted out for the winter.

Our government has been guilty of squandering our money on the Bel Royal fiasco and there has been silence on the obscene travelling and entertaining costs of certain ministers. We have lacked leadership from the top and there appears to be a continuation of failed policies. We sold out to the Les Pas consortium and look what is happening to our Waterfront.

As a Jersey Bean Senator I was proud to speak out about our wonderful Island and how we looked after the sick, the elderly and the low paid. Reading the JEP report on the income support scheme I feel ashamed at how we have been taken over by accountants who profess to know the answers but fail to take into account human values.

Sorry if I appear despondent but I love Jersey as a home and not an investment. Community is important to me. The workers at Woolworths are our neighbours and if we can’t help them in their hour of need then we are lacking in fundamental human values.
Seascape,
Grande Route de la Côte,
St Clement.