2

Gavin

I am weary of this anti-finance stance from the left because its almost as if they want the finance industry to go elsewhere. Translate it as you may but their political views are either ill thought out or simply hateful to an industry which thousands rely upon for work and the Goverment relies upon for tax. Bring on the elections, we must get these bozos voted out now, they are too dangerous to stay in Government.

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4

fred

This man has no clue about anything, without a finance industry this island IS finished regardless of what you finance industry haters may think.

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6

Sam

Let me get this right (and please correct me if I am wrong) -

1. this is the guy who voted against a debate concerning a review of government salaries;

2. this is the guy who is campaigning against largest revenue producing sector in the Island;

3. this is the guy who clearly doesn’t want to support an organisation whose mandate is to create investment into Jersey thus creating job opportunities for every islander (not just finance related);

4. this is the guy who doesn’t understand that banks, trust companies, fund managers and lawyers also make a huge funding in terms of the time spent in supporting and assisting government initiatives.

who is he speaking on behalf of……

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8

gino risoli

truthseeker, you are miss guided. The finance industry gets huge tax breaks here in jersey, what geff is talking about is tax payers money and priority spending by our government. It must be said that corporations make money off the backs of ordinary people which is fine but this should be remembered whilst commenting. Everything in life is intrinsically connected this huge fact seems to be absent in peoples deductions. whilst religion puts God seperate to people others like truthseeker will do the same whereas science does not make that mistake. There is cause and effect, nothing else and no-one can opt out of life.You are it.Life.

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10

dave

I agree with Southern on this one, especially as the finance industry has had its tax rate reduced from 20% to 10% under the zero ten regime.

The tourist industry should also contribute 50% to Tourism’s marketng cost’s.

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12

brian cant

I agree with geoff. If only the hard working, productive finance industry were replaced with a load of lazy unskilled whingers who paid for geoff’s election campaigns then I think geoff would be better off too.

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14

Mulvie Le Phew

Mr Southern you make no more sense here than you did when you knocked on my door campaigning for election. My comment from that time stands now, you may recall it was brief ending in off. We must do everything we can to encourage finance and make Jersey an attractive place to do business, otherwise the banks will simply move somewhere else. And before you say good riddance consider how many locals work for the banks and how much tax is generated from that employment.

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16

educate yourself

If any of you bothered to read his proposition on the States website you would see that the auditor general recommends the funding for jersey finance realigns to what was proposed when it was set up.

Tax payer funding has increased nine fold while the industry has only increased by three.

When it was set up it was agreed that the industry would match every pound paid for by the government. Apparently this was important so that the industry acknowledged that Jersey Finance was not some States run thing but a partnership with them.

While we cannot afford a hydrotherapy pool I think Geoff has got it right to ask for this to be sorted out.

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18

Spelling Bee

8 gino risoli – I can see why you weren’t elected, your grasp of grammar falls below poor.

Lets start with your name, capital letters for Gino and Risoli, miss guided is one word with one s – misguided. jersey is a place name hence capital letters – Jersey. geff is a name so capital letter and also correct spelling is Geoff ( read the story if you can’t figure it out )

It degrades from here with a lack of punctuation, capital letters missing from the start of a sentence and an unintelligible conclusion. Actually scratch my original statement, you’d have made an excellent politician, you’d have fitted right in.

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20

roger phlegm

Most finance businesses in Jersey are not locally owned. They are parts of international banks. These banks have offices in jurisdictions all around the world. In general, they are looking to close down offices and develop certain jurisdictions as centres of excellence.

JFL does not exist to help those banks bring in new work. It exists to help the Jersey branches and subsidiaries of those banks to bring in work that would otherwise go to other jurisdictions. It directly helps the Jersey branches and offices to get the work that employs Jersey people and ultimately pays Jersey taxes(whether directly through the 10% or profit or indirectly through the 20% on income tax).

JFL is fighting a battle to make sure Jersey remains attractive compared to Guernsey, Luxembourg, Singapore, Malta, the Cayman Islands etc etc.

If you ask the industry to contribute to that fight it is counterproductive. Asking head office in London or New York, Paris or Geneva, to sign a cheque for £50k to help fund “Jersey Finance” does not go down well. Because head office gets nothing out of it, and asks “why should we pay this when we don’t need to in Singapore, Cayman etc”. So when they consider which jurisdiction to close down, contributing to JFL becomes a factor against Jersey.

The money is spent for the benefit of those working in Jersey. It is not spent helping “fat cas” or “rich bankers”. They will get their share from their global business anyway. Supporting JFL just means Jersey remains part of that global business.

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22

Real Truthseeker

Roger Phlegm: Well put and argued.

Problem is quite often facts and truth coutn for nought here, as the rampant anti-finance lot use lies and propaganda to peddle their wares.

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24

Arnald

roger phlegm

There is a fallacy in your argument. It is the electorate that votes for the politians that pass the laws that keep places like Jersey “part of the global business”.

JerseyFinance is merely an advertising arm.

Unlike, say, Tourism, the taxpayer is already subsidising Finance by offering an environment designed to undercut its competition.

By saying we need JF to bring the business in implies that the mighty global corps that benefit the most from islander’s generosity are useless at their job.

0 tax and secrecy laws are not a natural resource to be exploited like the beaches and the weather. They are paid for by everyone.

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26

Real Truthseeker

At the election after next – watch for the Real Truthseeker who will be running for a States position…

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28

Cathy

À bétôt at the next election!

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30

Real Truthseeker

Pip, soudns like a good plan. Though won’t be in St Helier, live out of town…

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32

small money

(31) you will not get my vote.

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34

Pip Clement

“#32: I know whose vote I will get, and those I won’t, and whilst I am not counting on yours SMALL MONEY, I take comfort in the fact, when you come to vote, you just may one day end up voting for me anyhow.

I could be anyone.”

If you espouse the ideas that you put forward on here you will not be picking up many votes in any country parish with their huge flocks of conservative NIMBY’s.
Out in the sticks, people like James Reed and Judith Gallichan are looked upon as dangerous radicals.
A liking for spuds and cows and a dislike of development anywhere near any influential resident’s home is the ticket to stand on.
Your views on St Aubin’s village would make you about as popular as the janitor with dog poop on his shoes in the partner’s lift in that parish!

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