‘We must make cuts’, says Chief Minister
Monday 27th July 2009, 3:00PM BST.
Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur
CHIEF Minister Terry Le Sueur has defended controversial cuts proposed in the Business Plan, saying that they are needed to cope with unprecedented financial difficulties.
Unions representing almost every part of the public sector are threatening ‘collective industrial action’ over plans for £21m worth of cuts in States spending – £17m of which will go back into funding new services.
Senator Le Sueur has announced that he is to meet the unions.
In a statement issued this morning, Senator Le Sueur said: ‘While every service we provide is important to those who use it, hard times mean tough decisions.
‘Departments have found new efficiencies, we have controlled the public sector pay bill but we still need to identify some reductions in services.
‘We are facing reduced revenue in the coming years because of the worldwide recession, and our priority has to be seeing Islanders through the next three years with the minimum of discomfort.’
• See Monday’s JEP for full story.
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‘We are facing reduced revenue in the coming years because of the worldwide recession, and our priority has to be seeing Islanders through the next three years with the minimum of discomfort.’
True words Terry, but combine the above with a slow yet steady decline in Finance also, and things are going to look very grim…… Where do we stand then? Beyond this plugging of financial leaks, in the form of cost-cutting, we’re only treading water economically and not making any forward progress….. What’s going to happen to stop us sinking?
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Well,well, The boy Querree summed it up in tonights Post, what an awful bunch of dishonest and cynical people this despicable COM really are,their utter contempt for the intelligence and welfare of the working man have rarely been so blatantly shoved up our noses..there are so many places that Realistic cuts could take place, ask Mr Austin-Vautier for the £5.9 mill. overspend money back..or the treasurer for £7.0 mill Euro cockup..incidently the chief minister was at the helm when that happened,, many millions of our quids on staff, Waterfront boss, Bill Ogley and sundry civil Servants on on over Five Thousand Pounds a week..!.and still claiming all kinds of expenses.. A General Election with pre by elections so we can oust constables and old boys networks and actually be properly represented is what we Must have..nothing less will do…or the same mob will continue to stick it to us ad nauseuam. come on Jersey wake up, let’s get these blighters OUT.
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£21M cuts on a £800M spend is not reducing anything, its probably only mopping up “un-accounted for wastage”.
Perhaps the hidden double taxation on local shareholders who have supported the Island that has also come to light tonight has been factored in as “extra” income. The reality of course is that this rule means that there is no incentive whatsoever to support local enterprise or set up a small business to help the Island.
Come on Terry get off the pot and start saving money, and encourage local enterprise. Let’s start with a planned cut of £100m shall we and see what the management can do with that one, it’s what they get paid for, managing the good and the practical, and then lets sort out zero ten so that it works for the Islanders and not just the finance industry shall we?
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You forgot to complete the sentence Tez, you should have said “we must make cuts because we have made a pig’s ear out of looking after Jersey’s finances” – that sounds right !!!!
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Terry Le Sueuer ” No recession”. When he said that, anyone with half an incling about what our Finance Industry now does would know that we were going to get disproportionately hit by this severe shock to the industrialised economies. Its a long way from simple bank deposits and retail funds.
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To be honest the proposed cuts to frontline services represent a cynical manipulation of public opinion.
Why try and cut the heating in the hospital when all the other States buildings will continue to enjoy the same temperatures as before?
Bill Ogly sitting at his desk in a cardie in January, I think not!
One is reminded of the scenes in Animal Farm when the milk and apples are carted away for the pig’s delectation. The animals are later told that milk and apples are essential for keeping a pig fit and able to work.
Down and out in Paris and London could be rewritten to describe the situation in some private bed sits and lodging houses.
Couple in the doublethink that has characterised the debacle at the airport and Jersey is crying out for a George Orwell to satirise the political situation in the island.
To be honest every islander could be issued with the collected edition of Orwell’s work as a guide to the Jersey political system!
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Terry Le Sueur – he will for ever be remembered for those famous words ‘no recession in Jersey’!
This is our CHIEF Minister who was an accountant. Dear oh dear, is this the best we can do?
So we now hit the working classes from birth (cuts in baby milk), to old age (withdrawal of vital services), and even take away a valuable community centre in Grands Vaux.
Well done Terry, but now please have a serious re-think and hit where it will not be so desperately felt, else you will have a working man’s revolution on your hands.
And yes….as ever Ben Queree sums it up beautifully in his column.
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For once,& only once i agree with Terry le suer.
We must make cuts,so lets start with the 3% GST.
Let us also bare in mind rogue car dealers,
electrical stores that add an extra £1000 to television sets that can be bought online & every other business thats exploiting our pockets.
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Pip Clement # 6. Never mind George Orwell’s books ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘1984’, Terry Le Sueur and his cronies are more like a characters out of ‘Monty Python’. They provide hours of entertainment…is it a comdey or just a tragdy?
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This man is not fit to govern us. He was responsible for the ‘fixed/non fixed currency rate ‘ fiasco and he should be made accountable.
Where are our elected members with balls? Do something now, I voted for you to prevent this happening. You told me you would prevent this happening and I believed you.
This island is in need of a revolution.
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This island is beyond belief. The amount of money that has been wasted due to oversights & fiascos is truely mind blowing. And now the islanders who have helped fill the deep void are going to be hit again!
Thank god I am leaving this mess of an island soon.
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Sorry I should say this islands “Government”
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21 million to be saved. Got it in one stop the Overseas Aid
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Cuts costs do I hear you say, well the first place should be your expense forms you fill out on a regular basis..
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George Orwell is bang on the money with 1984. It appears to me very much like the government is controlling the masses with red tape and beaurocracy and letting big business and the rich do what they want.
I view this as an economic struggle for control. He who controls the government controls everything and can do almost what he wants in my opinion.
I believe the lower socio-economic groups are being driven backwards towards poverty so that those in charge can manipulate things easier and get people working for less, working harder, with less time off and all in the name of capitalism and choice.
In reality people ar getting less and less choice to do as they wish, and less and less time to think about what is really going on here. The move to get women with children to work has been great for the greedy capitalists who have exploited the “women must work” culture to the detriment of family life, as I see it.
I don’t see why women, if they so choose, can’t be paid to stay at home and raise their children, without the financial pressures now placed upon them which weren’t present even one generation ago.
These are my own views on the way things are going and they aren’t to be taken as being against women working. I say let them work if they want to, HOWEVER, if they would prefer to raise their children instead, empower them to do so, or even let the man do it, if he so wishes with the same payments to do so. This is giving people proper choice not what we have now which I believe is not real choice at all.
It is about time many people woke up to what is being forced onto them. GST should have been the final wake up call, unfortunately people still seem half asleep. How anyone can vote for people that are happy to increase their taxes to enable big business and the rich to have an easier time is beyond me. How people can keep relecting those that have been deceitfull in their election pledges is also beyond me. Maybe some of the electorate are dummies or are easily led?
Time to wake up everybody and get rid of those not acting in the islanders interests. I would say if you want increased taxes keep on voting these types into power. I saw some of them at the last husting and I found it incredible what little they really knew when pushed to answer questions! They are now in the CoM. Oh dear! Oh dear!
ZBD As per Monty Python. Maybe we could ask them if they could do a series about the Ministry Of Stupidity, set in a overseas tax haven, where they waste everyones hard earned money often useless things, and where no one is accountable for anything?
Sorry to be so cutting but it is getting beyond a joke as far as I am concerned. I am sorry but I must blame the electorate who vote these types in, just as much as those who don’t bother voting. Both in my opinion should know better.
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1 to 15. i am with you on this , its the small person whos going to get it.
heres a saving , travel in economy class and dont stay in the swankiest of accomodation.
its time the dog wagged the tail and not the tail wagging the dog
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I am trying to decide:
Is Kate writing tongue in cheek as an “Agent provocatrice”?
Or is she just consistently the most hard hearted I’m all right Jill on this forum?
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how about cutting the politicians pay great start
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Ross I hope your not going to the UK, you will fare far worse over there!
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T.L.S. was my physics teacher at De La Salle in the 1960s
I recall he said something about Newton’s law, ‘When a body A exerts a force on a body B, B exerts an equal and opposite force on A; that is, to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.’
I imagine there will be a reaction in the next elections.
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Mr Bob Hope
Yes me and my partner are moving to the UK. Yes wages are good here but they are robbed off you in many ways, tax, food, electricity etc.
And if we want to escape somewhere for the weekend, we can jump in a car or on a train.
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Why does anybody vote for these people knowing that no matter what there stance is pre-election, once they are voted in and had a few beers with the guaranteed elected goverment they all agree on doing the complete opposite to what they’ve promised you.
Anarchy and rebellion is on the horizon I’m afraid. There’s only so much dictatorship normal people can take. Everybody earning under £50,000 p.a. are fed up, miserable, unsociable etc etc because they continuously struggle to financially survive.
Ross (11) I have been here 25 years and like you I am leaving this Island shortly to go home. I leave my children aged 17 and 14 with their Mother and I shall be extremely sad to leave them, but sadly I can no longer afford to live on this Island although I have two jobs. As for Mr Bob Hope (19) the 1 job I am going to in the UK pays £2,000 p.a. more than I earn for 2 jobs here, the cost of food, rent etc is substantially less than the prices here. Most of all there is actually a community spirit and atmosphere in my area even in this recession, and when people go out they talk about things other than what they have, what they own and what they EARN! It’s sad to see an Island that was once so sociable, friendly, atmospheric turn into an Island of GREED!
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Senator Le Sueur and his council would do well to put aside their economics books and spend a bit of time studying public relations and communication skills. I am sure that the majority of Islanders recognise the very serious dangers the Island faces on an economics front but unless the council of ministers can sell their policies to, and receive the support of the public then they and indeed Jersey are doomed.
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Re #15 – Adrian – Interesting point about women being able to stay at home a generation ago.
I attended St Luke’s School in the late 1960′s when most of the mothers did not work. They tended to walk their children to school before returning to their homes to do their chores. If the family had a car, dad had taken this to work, or perhaps he had the use of a works vehicle. Mothers would walk to the shops and get the provisions, or perhaps they had a push bike with a basket on the front. One mother with several children would come and collect the left over school milk, because believe it of not, even back then, not many children liked being forced to drink the stuff.
It was noticable that very few children ever went off the island on holiday, and for many, clothes were hand-me-downs.
I believe that the option for women to stay at home and look after the children is still there, though one has to accept that you will only have money for essential items. Also, with a reduced household income, you will have a significantly reduced income tax liability, and further, you will not be able to contribute to the ialsnds economy, because you will not have the funds to spend.
I don’t incidentally remember the States chucking so much money around in the 1960′s such as traffic bollards, digging up pavements simply to relay them, spending money on consultants etc etc. The first two years of classes at St Lukes were held in wodden sheds
Back to the family finaces if mum stays at home, your children will get upset if they never go away, and they will not benefit and learn from seeing other cultures first hand. It is incerdibly difficult learning French at age 8 when you have no perception of the country(I would mention that St Lukes had an excellent French teacher in the late 60′s It’s just a shame none of us could see the point of learning the language of a country which we were unlikely to visit. By comparison, my 5 year old son has been to France at least eight times, and has already picked up some words. He has also been to Florida, and seen the dangers of eating too much junk food !)
At the end of the day, it’s down to money. No one should expect to be able to live on hand outs to fund a standard of living beyond their means. One has the option of cutting ones cloth to survive on the essentials, or weave a bit more cloth to have a decent standard of living. I know which one I would prefer !
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JCG could have saved the states £10,000 by not spending that much on new student toilets!
I can’t believe TLS is suggesting making cuts in areas where the safety of the people of this Island is put at risk! Shocking!
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To Dg (22) Good luck with your decision.We left Jersey 3 years ago (Jersey born too)and are delighted with our new life in England.People such as Bob Hope have either never lived in the UK or had the misfortune to live in an undesirable part and do not know the joys of living in a peaceful,pleasant part of England where there is true community spirit and the cost of living is affordable!As Ross says there is also the great choice of getting in the car and heading somewhere nice for a weekend or such like- next weekend we are off to the Lakes!
As I have said before we made the right decision and have no desire to return to Jersey other than to visit family and friends but it is sad that people who may wish to stay are being driven away because of the way the island is being run and has become a place for the wealthier people only.
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I for one am sure a revolt is on the horizon.
We should take a leaf out of our gallic neighbours book….if they disagree with anything they protest and the government (usually) backs down.
These people in government are here to serve us, the population. They are voted in by us to do what they promised and they use our money to fulfill those promises.
Have they done their job?
Is anyone brave enough to stand and represent the islanders for once (and for real)….they would definitely get my vote!
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Some cuts could be made by employing Oxfordshire’s ‘Payback’ scheme (recently seen on TV). Basically community service but better organised and with the offenders wearing jumpsuits that make it clear what they are there for.
Warren I agree with much of what you say, I also know people who say they can’t afford for the woman to stay at home but they have every luxury under the sun and they can afford that easily. I also know some who do need both parties to work, however, with most of them I would query whether they should have had a child given their circumstances. It does come down to choice ultimately. However, in some cases people are simply choosing greed rather than parenting and that is a worry. Others are assuming it will just ‘all work out somehow’ or that their parents will step in and help and that is also worrying. At least two of the couples I know where both worked have ended up with only one income due to serious ill health, they had no security in place for such circumstances.
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Watrren J # 24. You have made some good points in your entry. I went to La Moye in the 1950s and early 1960s and we had a classroom that was a wooden hut.
My Dad had a car – an old split screen Morris Minor. However my mother (who worked) didn’t have to walk or cycle to the shops at Red Houses and Les Quennevais – Dad used to drive her to do her shopping. I’d cycle to school or catch the JMT bus from Mont a La Brun.
It seemed that there was a much slower pace of life in the Island in those days before the Finance Industry arrived in the 70s.
I didn’t mind not travelling abroad as the summers were good and I’d love to swim at St. Ouens or St. Brelade. My holidays included trips every few years to the U.K. to visit relatives
I think there is more wealth in the Island now and people seem to be better off – yes comparatively speaking there is still poverty, but it isn’t as bad as in parts of the U.K. Furthermore social ills experienced in the Island aren’t as bad as they are in other parts of the British Isles……nothing is perfect, but nevertheless people should count their blessings.
Having said that, I don’t think the members of the States are as good as they once were. There are no political giants, no real leaders – just inept managers. But then the people who are in power were elected by the citizens of Jersey, so those who whinge (myself included) have nobody to blame but themselves. If you think you can do a better job, why not put yourself up for election.
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What is very clear to me from the comments by some Ministers is that it is not the Ministers who have “suggested” the cuts but the civil SERVANTS. I deliberately put SERVANTS in capitals because that is what there are. The problem we have is the likes of Ogley Pollard and Lundy have too much power and as the old adage says power corrupts. They are our SERVANTS and should be do as we the MASTERS (as payers of their salaries) dictate. The Politicians don’t have the power we believe they have as they are only as good as the information the civil SERVANTS are prepared to give to them. We have no choice in who is the Chief of each Department but we do have a choice on who our Politicians are. It is about time the Politicians took back the power from these civil SERVANTS so OUR wishes are met.
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Thank you Julie (26). B S Deluxe (27)Syvret stood up and voiced a lot of people’s opinion and look what happening to him! ZBD (29)Have you noticed at election time how many people actually vote? The people who dont vote know that whoever they vote for, once they are voted in will not carry out their promises, they are inducted into the old school and just agree and go along with what the hierarchy tell them. The close friends I have told that I am leaving the Island some have asked will I miss the “quality of life” here? My reply is, I wont miss having to get on a plane or boat to go anywhere different, the contiuous traffic jams especially heading east after work because Mr Crowcroft hates cars, I wont miss paying through the nose for just about everything, I wont miss the moaning people who continuously complain about noise the few times someone puts on live entertainment, and I wont miss asking myself why all the serious problems are brushed under the carpet by the States.
In my opinion Mr Walker, in his time in office had a dream, and he strived to make Jersey his “Monte Carlo”. An Island full of rich people, and a few minnions surviving here to look after the rich people, he’s almost got his dream….
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#19, I have to disagree. Despite the size of the UK your vote seems to matter more than it does in Jersey and if you have a problem you can very easily go to your MP/MSP. I have been impressed with how quick they can be to take action.
I went to my MSP 4 years ago regarding a loophole in Scottish law (the law only worked if all businesses were respectable and honest!) Within 18 months he had found enough evidence and got enough publicity on the issue that the BBC ran a documentary on the matter, the issue was then raised in Parliament and the law is currently being revised.
I was laughed at when I suggested the same should be able to happen in Jersey since Jersey is so much smaller!
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#BS Deluxe….I completely agree!! I would sure stand and protest against these idiots!! Its my money and i work bleedin hard for it and they just waste it away on unneccesary things!! Im a young female and would gladly stand against these politicians! They seem to pay no attention to the wishes of those living in the island!! Its so frustrating because they say one thing and always do another!! Like someone said earlier, it doesn’t matter what they say before they get voted because they are all the same as soon as they are together!! Cutting costs here there and everywhere…hows about dont spend it on rubbish that doesn’t need to be done in the first place!!
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30 Paul, Totally agree,we need to call,e mail,and phone these people and ask them what they are doing about reforming the States into something that is fit for purpose,Let’s have 5o EQUALS, representing us get the clique ,out ,remove the constables who need to really understand their role is an honory police one.
pass whatever laws are nescessary needed to wrest control away from this bloated civil service and get back to sanity.it’s like living in a mad house.this “Leaves on the line ” can’t do mentality has gotta go.this is 2009 in case we’ve forgotten along with the fact that democracy works from the bottom up..not top down,which is what is happening here,just think about it for a moment,what is happening here is the power base poses as democracy..but is in reality not.so we in practice do not have the benefit of what millions died fighting for through history..why so beurocrats and crooked bankers could control us,encourage a generation into debt…pound of flesh and all that…wake up folks we have been sleep walking into this on the comfort zone carpet provided,which if you notice has now been whipped out from under,the working man did not create this financial calamity,it was the yuppies in their Aston Martins with plummy accents who ripped us off.time to take it all back,get common sense and real values in place so that the common wealth and health takes priority.we have the power…will you use it..?
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It is time for everyone to vote and to vote out those not helping the majority. Keep a track of who you vote for and make sure they stick to their manifestos. If they don’t boot them out at the next elections.
Repeat this a few times and these types will soon be removed for good from the States. The problem at present is too much apathy and can’t be botheredness. This allows those who serve big business and the rich to set things up for these particular groups as far as I am concerned. Hence GST and other nasties in the pipe lines for the majority of island residents.
Please remember there are more workers and retired people than the rest so use your vote and make it counts or else keep enduring what you have now with this type of CoM.
I could stand but if elected I would probably be barred from the chamber after a few weeks, as straight talking tends to upset people. I believe I know what needs doing, but it would mean a major overhaul of the way things are done at present. I am sure this would put a few noses out of joint.
I would cut some chiefs out for starters and penalise waste and incompetence with a range of sanctions up to and including the sack. This wold help focus a few more minds on the job at hand. The time for dithering is now at an end. The groundswell of discontent is beginning to rise, people are no longer happy over here.
Jaime B my I suggest you stand at the next elections and if serious begin soon on your campaign trail to get your face known. If you stand as a deputy you will only have a few thousands homes to visit depending where you live. Face to face visits will make people think, especially if you have a common sense approach and can communicate well. Hopefully there will be a few more changes at the next elections in 2 and a bit years time.
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DG # 31. I have lived in the U.K. for the past eight years, having previously spent 35 of my 58 years in Jersey. Whilst it always appears that the grass is greener on the other side, the U.K. isn’t brilliant.
I haven’t had any experience of life on the Island for the past eight years, however I am told there have been many changes and many of these have not been for the better. I assure you however that depending on where you move to in the U.K., you probably won’t find life much better.
You’ll still find crime on the streets, litter thrown about the place, anti social behaviour etc., etc. Oh and there is a problem with finding work too.
I left Jersey because of personal circumstances and finished a career that I really loved because my wife didn’t like the Island. I now work for much less pay and my quality of life has really gone down…even though I own a farm with 30 acres of land in a very rural area. Don’t be surprised if you become disappointed with what you find in the U.K. – it is not a land of milk and honey. The Labour Party have made a complete ‘pig’s ear’ of running the country – you will soon find out.
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ZBD – I have read your comments with interest.You are just a few years older than me but your description of growing up in Jersey is exactly as I remember it too.Sadly your quality of life has gone down in the UK whereas mine has definitely gone up but I guess I have been extremely lucky in my choice of relocation as I now live amongst people who seem happy with life and aren’t constantly moaning about their jobs,lack of money,cost of living etc etc.
What really irritates me with Jersey is that the likes of Terry Le Sueur have no concept of what it is like for average people earning average wages who are trying to keep their heads above water.They might as well live on another planet.
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Julie # 37 I am glad you have a little corner of England that is your haven. Sadly there are many others who find that depending on where you go in the U.K., it isn’t so good.
I was brought up and educated in Jersey, at La Moye and then De La Salle College. I have a lot of happy memories of the Island and I still feel it has many good points that people tend to overlook. Of course there is a lot of room for improvement, but the population needs to nag the States to make changes for the better and get involved in public debate – as they do on the JEP website.
I can just see the responses to that view. I am the eteranl optimist, I have high hopes like the ram head butting the dam. Don’t give up Jersey…hold peaceful protests, do something for goodness sake – just don’t give up. There is too much to lose.
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As i said before the panic has only started since harcourt fell through. Never rely on something that sounds too good! oh and changing road names costs a small fortune too!
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