Over £½m to be spent on Jersey’s image

[Jason the Maverick]

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2008/09/19/over-%c2%bdm-to-be-spent-on-jerseys-image/

A MOVE to give the Chief Minister’s department over £570,000 to improve the Island’s international image was approved by the States yesterday.

Politicians voted by 33 to 13 to endorse a plea from Chief Minister Frank Walker for money for a range of new positions – including a £50,000-a-year ‘change officer’ position to oversee a programme to increase States efficiency.

Senator Walker proposed an amendment to his own Council of Ministers’ spending plans seeking funding for positions that also included a part-time media adviser based outside the Island. Another part of the package was £100,000 a year for a social policy development executive and also £70,000 for a deputy to the Emergency Planning Officer.

In making the proposal Senator Walker said that the Island needed the new posts and money ‘to get over its voice internationally’. He said the Island was under-resourced in the field of international relations and said: ‘If I  had had my way Jersey would already have established its own offices in Brussels and London as the Isle of Man and many other competitors do,’ he said.

Money well spent?

[danrok]

Sounds more like an exercise to market finance.

[churchill]

This is just what makes my blood boil.
Yet another £50.000 post has been created . WHEN WILL THE STATES CURB THIER SPENDING. ?

cheers all.   Alvin.

[Jason the Maverick]

I think we need to understand why we need to promote the Jersey image at the expense of the Tax Payer.  What is the objective here?  I hope one of the current Ministers that is a member of this forum can give us an answer?

[newmac]

Do we really need more Civil servants when we're constantly being told that we need to pay more tax, more charges etc

[Dissident Aggressor]

So he is furnishing Terry Le Sueur's new department just before leaving then 

[churchill]

It looks like we all agree this is the states doing as they please as usual.

This spend spend spend has simply got to stop.

And why can business not be suspended until the elections are over? Is it right that states members who may very well not be in government in a few months should be taking these decisions ?

CHEERS.  ALVIN.

[Dissident Aggressor]

They are trying to spend GST money as fast as possible.  I bet these new jobs are given to outsiders who will get J cats with the job and permission to buy.  It all sucks.

[Millennium Man]

Why don't they go the whole distance and buy a Jersey Super yacht.  They could travel around the world promoting the Island?  Something like this -

[danrok]

Excellent idea Millennium Man!

I want to propose Frank Walker to become the Skipper of this motor yacht, when he stands down, and the first voyage will be a trip around Somalia. 

[Millennium Man]

Why bother with just a Super yacht?  Get a plane and fly around promoting the Island with the banana logo?

[Mark Forskitt]

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2008/09/19/over-%c2%bdm-to-be-spent-on-jerseys-image/

Politicians voted by 33 to 13 to endorse a plea from Chief Minister Frank Walker for money for a range of new positions – including a £50,000-a-year ‘change officer’ position to oversee a programme to increase States efficiency.

Money well spent?

I've obviously misunderstood something.  You don't usually need extra recurring budget to increase efficiency, which in itself reduces costs. The only reasons I can see  are these. You expect the savings to be considerably smaller than the £50,000 quoted.  Or you expect the savings to take somewhat longer than a couple of years to produce! Or you haven't got a clue about what you are doing but it sounds good to be able to say you have set up an efficiency programme.

[churchill]

Did Mr walker ever get his fancy office does any body know ?

And i think the yacht is a bloody fabulous idea.
Come on guys. Think of the slogan " LIFE ENRICHING"

You can bet your bottom dollar they popped the cork and stuck 2 fingers up at us when they came up with that one .

[Jason the Maverick]

Apparently they are currently tendering to build the CM's office.

This is the current internal plan-

[danrok]

This is the CM's wash room: