1

Harry Le Maistre

Cheer up Phil or else you’ll give the Australians a reason to call you a “whinging pom”.

Hope you don’t mind being an “incomer” to THAT Island though.

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3

camelia

Is this guy for real?He is either a troll or an extremely naive ex Jerseyman who is against building on agricultural land in parishes(probably his)but would prefer high rise but does’nt say where.Also what does he mean about outsourcing job vacancies?I hope that he finds a really really clean part of oz in which to live in with a bit of rain and fog to remind him of Jersey.

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5

Adrian

Yes indeed things have gone massively downhill over the last 30 years so much for progress eh?

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7

Keith Russell

I also have seen the decline in what was one of gods chosen islands,I was dragged out of Jersey in 1963 by my parents & I have been living in Australia since however,I have been fortunate enough to visit on several occasions only to be more disappointed by the way Jersey people have allowed greed to destroy what was unique,After 1945 an influx of English civil servants,arrived,and along came the Greed ; sure,not all but some that saw Jersey as a way of making money,and the fact,Jersey People are, or ,at least at that time not worldly,(All my Family are Jersey born)I realize that the Agriculture industry has been gutted,so the Jersey (undeniably some of the best in the world) Tomatoes,Potatoes,Milk,& flowers were,not as viable to overseas markets,The Hospitality industry (Honey-Moon Paradise)many owners of B&B,& hotels used European staff,but they were meant to be seasonal (return to Europe)but some people did not want to loose these good workers so petitioned for them to remain I would bet it was Not a Jersey Bean who suggested it.European destinations,took over, but Jersey”s Tax haven Status attracted the Banks & the money & more Greed,on percentage How many Jersey (Indigenous) People own the big boats, The country estates,and the demand for plush apartments,St Helier Harbor,natural quaintness has been destroyed,at least our Guernsey cousins had the sense to stop much of the development.Yes I agree that farmers should be able to sell their land but I ask that any real Jersey Bean have a long look at this wonderful Island and if you are now over 55 years old ask your-selves if the changes have improved it,No I can not ever come back to Jersey although I have my birth right,I have my mother,brother,and generations of family buried their but I remember paradise,the uniqueness that was Jersey spoilt by Greed,lack of caring or inaction & the love of all that makes money.By the way,I hope too again return to see my family their so if anyone wants to discuses my views with me I will gladly meet you.

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9

Keith

Well Wilson,you are right about the decline in,Australia,as we have far to many people for the amount of sustainable land,eg a vast continent with huge arid areas,this has been explained by Dr Suzuki (sustainability ecologist &environmentalist) but I find your comment about The Decline in Australia similar to Jersey’s strange,Australia has only had settlement from Europeans, Mainly the English since the 1788 prior, 1606 discovered but not settled & the 40/45000 years were the Aboriginals (who did nothing to the land)so any constructions are basically modern,202 years of English colonizations, but Jersey,was their hundreds of years before as was the Natural beauty,looking from Fort Regent towards St Aubin’s,the old buildings,that were of huge heritage value around the harbor.this scene for any one arriving by boat from the UK would have been a picture post card of what was the unique quaintness that was Jersey,but now,they see modern,featureless, apartments and flats,yes Progress is good,but at what cost.The point I & some other correspondence to this paper make is that the changes that have occurred on this little Island are, in the main, ugly,with no thought of what visitors would see,just another, over crowded destination,with no soul.No different to many place in the world were corruption, greed,& apathy have prevailed. But these are my views,I as with Phil & C Le Verdic,make comment out of the sadness we feel at seeing Paradise Lost.Wilson said about the Whining immigrants from Jersey To Australia,yes,I for one did as I new what it was I had lost,but if you ask any Aussie who it is that Whinges it is what we refer to as the POMS aka English,you see,To be a Jersey Bean is something I wear with pride ( I was always in fights at school as the Aussie kids called me a POMY) Too express thoughts in the JEP is a way of showing the attachment we still feel for Jersey,I only ask that any true Jersey people take a look at your Island home,Is it any better for the rich people who live their,or the questionable planning for some of the construction’s with the blatant disregard for history,And you’re heritage.As you all know,Jersey has a sort of French connection,and French was spoken and taught in schools,but in the early 1900s the (B**y),english said it was not pure French so English had to be taught,Jersey Is,was independent of the UK,you have the Bailiwick,but you may as well become like any other English town.

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11

Nelly

Keith – It’s called a full stop, they are generally situated in the bottom right hand corner of a keyboard…

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13

Keith Russell

I know full well what the term POM means,it is usually associated with another word meaning Illegitimate,and we use it with great delight when Australia plays against England in sport. My point in writing it was that I was,& still are, very proud of being Jersey, born and bred.
And that is what brought me to express my views in this column, Not to have an English grammar test.

New sentence<
All I was trying to point out that through greed,short sightedness,& vested interest from people who saw opportunity to prosper,too the detriment of what a beautiful Island.
I still to this day meet people who have visited Jersey,some even worked their and all,with out exception talk of the natural beauty,the heritage of the French past,the buildings and the narrow,tree covered roads (lanes) the beaches,yes,beaches,they have sand not pebbles on them.
The question they frequently ask is, Why did I leave,well at the age of 10 I did not have a choice but as an adult I rue the day I did,but it is probably just as well as I would have fought with every means at my disposal to stop some of the vandalism that has been allowed to occur.

I rely hope this meets with the approval of the English grammar readers,if it falls short,Tough.
To those who think I took of offense at being called a POMY, you are right,as it does mean Prisoner of the Mother land,but as my parents and I were legal migrants,(yes) the Aussie government paid for us to leave Jersey & go to Australia,perhaps your ancestry is of criminal background but mine was not,so to be associated with the english was & still is an insult to my Jersey Bean heritage.

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15

Sue Premacy

Keith, you didn’t know what it meant or you wouldn’t have splashed the thread with such a silly comment.

Keith (ex Playmate of the Month)

Let me tell you once again, the term POM is used in reference to ALL British citizens not solely the English, but it doesn’t really matter, does it?

In fact, I’d go as far as saying I’m quite pleased that you put a distance between yourself and the English as, I’m quite sure a great number of English people don’t want to be associated with someone whose carelessness and standard of English/debate are so below par.

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17

Yankeedoodle

As someone who grew up in Jersey but left the Island some years ago, I find it amazing that people on this blog are trying to suggest the Island’s natural beauty hasn’t declined. No-one likes their home to be denigrated by “outsiders” but at least have the objectiveness to accept the facts. St Helier is frankly turing into a soleless dump and the less said about the Waterfront the better.

The Islands community has becoming increasingly transient. People don’t want to stay where the housing laws, prices and local attitudes make it clear you are not welcome. As a conseqence, decisions are made for short terms gains instead of long term civic pride. Local politics is a joke and the politicians live in la la land. Nobody votes because nobody really cares/can do anything to change things. To those who are reminded from time to time that there is a boat in the morning, do what I did and take it!

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19

Keith

Sorry Tobias,Jersey Crapaud,I should have used the Guernsey (donkeys)name for Jersey people.As all my mothers side are of Jersey/French, my fathers mother,was Jersey by decent, In fact apart from my grand father on my Fathers side,who was proudly Scottish,I have not a drop of English blood so why would I want to be called one,after all Sue,What is an Englishman to-day,Yes,before 1900 until 1960s you could identify an Englishmen.
Sue,I have not said one derogatory word about Australia,its a great place to live,I have done ok here, as has my family. Yes I agree,on arrival the Aussies called me a pom and this in turn required certain actions by me to enlighten them on were Jersey was and its history,so,if by your definition I was whinging, so be it.
Although jersey people have British citizenship,it still has its own Stamps,Currency,Parliament,and many laws that are only applicable in Jersey,and do not forget the tax system,one of the reasons so many B*** poms went there,you will find a branch of all the major English banks in St Helier.
Yes Sue,Jersey is an English protective,but as a very proud Crapuad/Bean,I will never, ever be called a Pomy, (Another meaning of the word came from the vine fruit Pomme Gran-it,due to the color the English went in the sun a red color)but then ,a Scotsmen,Welshman & Irishman
all would object to be labeled Pomy as they are proud of their heritage.
No Sue,I do not expect the English to stand up and fight for Jersey,why should they do any different too when the Germans invaded, they all took off for England,ok,some Jersey People did also,but my Parents and Family stayed under the occupation,with exception of those who enlisted to fight against the Germans,It was after the WW11 that the English came in/back,as far as the laws of birth and home ownership,why should a indigenous jersey couple have to contend with someone from over seas to buy property,I personally applaud that law as it recognized the birth rite of the locals,shame it changed in my view.
But I agree unfortunately Jersey people do have a lot to answer for in the way that development has occurred, but most of them were not aware of the leaches from overseas that sucked the very essence of what was Jersey out in the name of money.
Sorry Pip,I have no idea as to who James Joyce is.And to all those who think my command of the English language in it written form is far short of perfect,so what,I am only stating my view that Jersey has lost its natural charm.But I can get one or two Jersey Crapauds to take action or to sit back and see just what those who foolishly left see, on their return,I will have “done good”

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21

Pip Clement

James Joyce, him

“…I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes. ”

Keith, at his best

Yes Sue,Jersey is an English protective,but as a very proud Crapuad/Bean,I will never, ever be called a Pomy, (Another meaning of the word came from the vine fruit Pomme Gran-it,due to the color the English went in the sun a red color)but then ,a Scotsmen,Welshman & Irishman
all would object to be labeled Pomy as they are proud of their heritage.
No Sue,I do not expect the English to stand up and fight for Jersey,why should they do any different too when the Germans invaded, they all took off for England,ok,some Jersey People did also,but my Parents and Family stayed under the occupation,with exception of those who enlisted to fight against the Germans,It was after the WW11 that the English came in/back,as far as the laws of birth and home ownership,why should a indigenous jersey couple have to contend with someone from over seas to buy property,I personally applaud that law as it recognized the birth rite of the locals,shame it changed in my view.

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23

Sue Premacy

To Tobias with reference to Keith

Tobias, I really didn’t want to say this but, I would like Keith (who sounds like a decent chap, misguided but decent) to look at the whole picture and identify the real culprits behind the ‘destruction of Jersey’ and, if possible, whilst doing so, refrain from decrying the English.

He might also find it interesting to find out what the ‘Annals of History’ say about WWII Jersey before pointing an accusing finger.

Perhaps he may discover that what seemed like cowardice was in fact bravery. You see, many families (English included) left Jersey before the occupation to allow their boys to wear the British uniform and fight for freedom (like my father and his brothers).

He might also find that some of those who stayed behind collaborated with the Germans…I imagine this comment will trigger howls of protest, any mention “collaborators” always does.

And we must not forget the ‘Jerrybags’ who told on their neighbours to benefit themselves…oh, and what about the appalling conditions of foreign slave labourers (things haven’t changed much) and the fact that Jersey was responsible for sending Jews to the gas chambers.

Now, I’m not saying there wasn’t a lot of quiet heroism and, to be honest, I can hardly blame lively young girls for being attracted to handsome young men (even though they were wearing the uniform of the enemy), I mean, hormones will be hormones. But, before Keith (or anyone else) attempts to re-examine the ‘goings-on’ in WWII Jersey, they should remember they will not be alone on their journey into the past…I shall willingly accompany them.

Sue

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25

Tobias

Sue
“what about the appalling conditions of foreign slave labourers (things haven’t changed much)”

I have to disagree with your sentiment. Nobody forces these modern-day ‘slaves’ to remain here, they do it because their situation here is better than the situation they have at home, usually a case of there are no jobs back home. Fair play to them if they want to come here to work but it’s their personal choice and we don’t owe them any favours, after all they are here to benefit themselves and not ‘to make Jersey a better place’ as some of them like to pretend.

In many ways the island has benefited from the influx of foreign workers, however in many ways we have also seen a huge decline in our way of life, overcrowding being a major issue, with all the problems that comes with it such as house price rises.
OK so us locals are now all wealthier per head than we were before, but few of us can even afford to get on the property ladder at all let alone buy a decent-sized family house – how is that an improvement? Our schools have state of the art equipment…but the amount of non-English speaking pupils and larger class sizes coupled with a deterioration of morals and family values means generally poorer education. The hospital is well-funded…but cannot cope with the population increase.

So yes, the locals now have well-paid jobs with fairly low tax…yet the rents are so high (yes even with ‘the quallies!’) thanks to overcrowding that the traditional scenario of one parent working whilst the other looks after the children and the house is no longer feasible except for the top echelons.

Sorry for the whinge (whinging crapaud not whinging pom btw lol) but it just seems to me that we were actually better off before the foreign workers (and by foreign I include English in this case) came here to ‘save’ us, and I think that was what Keith was originally getting at, rather than particularly having a dig at the English people during WW2 as such. That’s the way I read it, anyway, it’s open to personal interpretation
Tobias

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27

R B Bougourd

Thus speaks a true man of letters! (#24)

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