Start with Guernsey

Thursday 28th January 2010, 3:00PM GMT.

From Robin Pittman.
SIR Philip Bailhache wishes to consider the matter of Jersey becoming an independent nation.

Might it be more practicable if first we considered federation with Guernsey, with all the benefits that would accrue for the two Bailiwicks’ finance industries, tourism, health services and travel, and with greater influence in our mutual dealings with the United Kingdom government?

I doubt whether either development is likely, but the first cannot be contemplated before the second is addressed.

1
Magnolia Man

January 28, 2010 at 3:16 pm

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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2
Pip Clement

January 28, 2010 at 6:12 pm

A close alliance with our neighbouring bailiwick would be an advantage if we were thinking of independence.
To be honest I view the whole independence idea as pie in the sky. There are plenty of issues that Sir Phillip Bailhache did not even start to address.
One of the most serious is the fact that virtually all the finance businesses in the island are just offshoots of large overseas companies.
If Jersey was still dependent on agriculture, fishing and tourism independence would probably be easier than in the present state.
A few quiet words from the Treasury in the right chairmen’s ears could scupper the Jersey finance industry overnight.

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3
Albert Salmon

January 30, 2010 at 8:50 am

Now that Sir Philip Bailhache has joined the ranks of the pensioned class he would do well to leave the governance of Jersey to the current leadership.

His ideas are his and his alone. He progressed through the ranks of the local legal profession, moving from one Crown job to the next, never having had to commpete for his place in the States Assembly through popular election.

He had plenty of time to promote his benighted ideas during that time, and now he should realise the time has come to shut up.

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