Chamber: Let’s keep on working

Monday 22nd February 2010, 2:56PM GMT.

Chamber of Commerce president Ray Shead.

BUSINESS leaders have again called on States Members to reject proposals for an extra day off for Liberation Day.

The Chamber of Commerce has written to States Members to urge them not to take the ‘easy option’ of giving people the day off when the matter goes to the States this week.

As things stand, Islanders will lose a day of holiday this year because Liberation Day – 9 May – falls on a Sunday.

Earlier this month, the States voted 27 to 22 to reject giving workers an extra day off on the following Monday.

This week the States will debate a proposal from Deputy Montfort Tadier to give Islanders the day off on the Friday at the start of the weekend instead.

1
Albert Salmon

February 23, 2010 at 10:11 am

At a time of such economic stress, with so much unemployment, soaring public debt, and political uncertainty bot insular and international, the very last thing Jersey needs is another day off.

The way to rid ourselves of all the economic and political malaise is through hard work, and not by lazing around.

If people really want to commemorate the 65th anniversary of our liberation from German occupation they should recall that there were precious few bank holidays then.

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2
kate

February 23, 2010 at 10:23 am

Time has been spent in the states debating this and a conclusion was brought. The correct one I feel.So because some do not like the conclusion we are going to spend time that could be used on something else to debate it yet again. Do we continue in this vain until they get what they want. We as a island at this stage can not afford an extra day. Liberation day has always been May 9th. I would love an extra day but the isalnd is not able to afford it at this stage and I am just please I have a job.Why debate it again?

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3
Adrian

February 23, 2010 at 4:04 pm

Don’t be so tight and give the workers a well deserved day off. After all if it fell on any other day they would get a day for it. This smacks of capitalism I’m afraid. Money, money, money….

Scrooge alive and well and coming to a place near you. Why don’t they just take everyones’ holidays away then and be done with it? I bet this is what many bosses would like. We can’t have people enjoying themselves can we? Just think now the recession can be used as an excuse for pay cuts, cuts in conditions of employment and holidays etc.

However the cost of living keeps rising. As far as I am concerned soon only the rich will be able to have any standard of living in Jersey the rest will be priced out or left up to their necks in debt. Is this really what the CoM wants?

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4
Pip Clement

February 23, 2010 at 5:33 pm

Given the peculiar nature of the Jersey States it is entirely possible that having voted against the Monday holiday they will vote for the Friday holiday.

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5
Sam Masterman

February 23, 2010 at 7:02 pm

In the present economic climate I am neither for or against another day off for liberation day (although I feel the work/play ratio will never be right). I feel though if it were to be a holiday we should celebrate the fact it is as such and commemorate the people who made it possible.

I will always remember the b&w pictures of temp passe with people eating together at large tables in the street with bunting adorned from the lampposts celebrating the fact that Jersey was free again. I think this has reality has been forgotten.

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