New Economic Development Minister

[newmac]

Senator Alan Maclean beat Deputy Mike Higgins

[danrok]

I'm sure this was fixed a long time ago.

The whole thing is a farce.

[danrok]

You just know that things are at an all time low when you have an estate agent in charge of the economy.

[STAFFY]

   With unemployment, recession, We are seeing the effects of what's happening now in the Island,Woolworth and other busineses losing out with loss of jobs. Yet having listened into the States Debate most of the day. Hearing the same ministers and side kicks being  hand picked yet again. M.Higgin's knowledge, brilliant, expertise which covered every aspect of how the banks and economy being of help in Jersey's needs at this present time, Surpassed anything P.Ozouf could even think of, let alone constructivley put forward,Without use of consultants at taxpayerers expence. Deputy Duhamel knowledge,experience,In the envoirment also,
 Applied for post of Minister for T.T.S. A Scrutiny panel chairman with 3 yrs
experience. Having learned every aspect in his field for time needed But T. Le Suer's nondiscript Constable gets voted instead.Apparently Power is held onto regardless at what cost to the island? Only our new or likewise good Deputies ability in continual voting on the public's interest's behalf, until next election,With luck a few more others being got rid of.More millions coming up to spend on Jollies?e.c.t. One asks whether Jersey will survive this onslaught  Let alone anything coming our way from outside the Island.

[Gazza]

  With unemployment, recession, We are seeing the effects of what's happening now in the Island,Woolworth and other busineses losing out with loss of jobs. Yet having listened into the States Debate most of the day. Hearing the same ministers and side kicks being  hand picked yet again. M.Higgin's knowledge, brilliant, expertise which covered every aspect of how the banks and economy being of help in Jersey's needs at this present time, Surpassed anything P.Ozouf could even think of, let alone constructivley put forward,Without use of consultants at taxpayerers expence. Deputy Duhamel knowledge,experience,In the envoirment also,
 Applied for post of Minister for T.T.S. A Scrutiny panel chairman with 3 yrs
experience. Having learned every aspect in his field for time needed But T. Le Suer's nondiscript Constable gets voted instead.Apparently Power is held onto regardless at what cost to the island? Only our new or likewise good Deputies ability in continual voting on the public's interest's behalf, until next election,With luck a few more others being got rid of.More millions coming up to spend on Jollies?e.c.t. One asks whether Jersey will survive this onslaught  Let alone anything coming our way from outside the Island.

[Gazza]

I hope that Deputy Higgins will stand for the Chair of Scrutiny in this area. I would think that he would be a great asset, if he gets ALL the information. My concern is how much information will be shared, this is the department who gave BMI the money, but still wont tell us how much..

[moot]

So Phil's assistant got in then as expected. In my mind the trouble with these sort of people is they don't understand how the other half live and consequently are unable to make decisions for the benefit of that other half. I don't expect much joy for the majority on hearing who is in the new cabinet. I only expect taxes to rise with this lot.

One of the first things Phil's little helper did was telling HD Ferries that they wouldn't be allowed in again of they didn't commit to a year-round service
How short sighted and narrow minded ! Just because this millionaire need not worry about having to pay Condor's rip off prices..
Condor carries most of all freight and has a monopoly on the UK route which they exploit to the dismay of us ordinary souls. They are owned by an Australian company which couldn't care one hoot about Islanders. All ferry companies operating to the islands over the last 30 years have had their problems and that certainly includes Condor
HD operated with excellent sailing times for the Jersey public and prices which most of us could afford. People were able to hop over to France more than once and I have done so on 3 occasions and never had any bother.
There is only work for one operator in the winter and Condor should have that
Then there is ample of work for one High price and one no-frills operator from 01 March to 30 September. There are many ports in Europe which operate like this
Doesn't he realise that there is no one else queuing up to go on the route and if we are stuck with Condor only on the French route it does no one a favour ?
If I was HD I would tell McClean to get stuffed. And while on the subject of this BIG SPENDER he should now tell us without delay how much subsidy he has been giving to BMI for the Heathrow route as I believe this amounts to approx £3 million per year of our hard earned cash. His constant excuse of it being commercially sensitive is simply b.....ks as it is our money and we have the right to know what he does with is. One BIG SPENDER has replace another !

[boatyboy]

It is such good question moot, did our very highly paid boys an girls on gold plated pensions and very high salaries come up with the goods?

Actually its such a deep question, why has the Jersey media not asked the very same question ?

I have no problem with Jersey employing the best people for the job and paying them well. As you pointed out, with a £106 million pound project, mostly paid in euros, which was always going to be the case. The exchange rate is vitally important, and commonsense to take the issue seriously.

Its not rocket science, that some one in the civil service advising our politicians must have thought of this.

We have a choice of departments, either the treasury or economics department or even statistics dept. ( statistically the euro will strengthen against the £ dropping, so buy euros now to save)  in the payment for this enormous project. So which department studied the fluctuation in the currency markets and dealt with it ? making sure value for money for the public purse was achieved.

Should none of them have bothered then why are we bothered employing them ?

Boatyboy

Sorry, if the £ drops 20% against the euro then it adds over £20 million to the cost which it has, but Jersey locked into the higher value euro, or did we, thats the point.

[boatyboy]

Tetras

Fair comment, with such a massive project as the incinerator £106 million, paid for mostly in euros, was this not thought of by Government probably not,…………………… actually its not there job that’s not what they do. Even on a long term project they could have purchased the first two years worth of euros as they may start to drop in value in three years and the sterling goes up. So who's job is it ?

A poor example, it’s a little late at night please excuse me, the war office decided we need more tanks in the last war, but the brains behind this don't go down and build them,

That’s the good thing about Jersey, we pay £300 million in wages because we have the best public servants taking care of these issues for us. Any decision  made by the States Assembly no problem sorted……………………. really ?

Boatyboy.

[fryertucker]

It was a real shame this guy got in.  An estate agent running the economy.  But like we hear so many times in the paper and on the radio of late, if you don't vote against these people you won't change a dam thing.

Mind you, was the calibre of this year's challengers really good enough?

[newmac]

I think there was some good candidates, but there was to many, so the vote was to widely spread which will always help current members.

[tonytheprof]

One of the first things Phil's little helper did was telling HD Ferries that they wouldn't be allowed in again of they didn't commit to a year-round service

You need not worry about that. Alan Maclean has consistently reneged on his 2005 manifesto committments, so an about turn on anything he said is entirely possible.

Philip Ozouf tends to be more consistent in what he says he will do, and does, if that is, one can cut through the Yes Minister Jim Hacker verbiage.

[boatyboy]

Has Constable Peter Hanning's statement " you have to build on a green field to save it " been toppled by the frankly bizarre statement from Senator Alan Maclean who tells Jersey residents,

ISLANDERS would be better off without a pay rise this year, the Economic Development Minister said yesterday.

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2011/04/21/pay-rises-will-cost-island-too-much/

Now we know it is very warm for the time of year, but has the heat gone to certain politicians heads coming out with this complete rubbish.  The reason I mention this is because as Jerseys', economic minister, Alan Maclean actually allowed the States controlled JEC to up its prices by 17% and GST (States controlled) up 2% to 5%.

Actually I have noticed the clowns post which is recycled here and mirrors my own view.


theclown

Posted April 21, 2011 at 6:31 pm

Perhaps the islands states owned and controlled utilities and service providers, JEC, JT, Water, Harbours, Airports, Income Tax department (GST,20/20), Social Security etc will all retract there price/charge increases so we don’t have to ? Biggest driver of Inflation to island is the States themselves ! cut your wage bill, don’t employee contractors to do work we don’t need, don’t waste more on enquiry’s into your self created problems and try this one – when business’s on the island make billion's – try and share and find a way to share in that success, rather than keep tipping your hats while they bring in J Cat after J Cat and ship profits back to prop up failed parents.

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2011/04/21/pay-rises-will-cost-island-too-much/

So

Come election time Mr Maclean your shallow words will be remembered when you are clearly one of the guilty taking money out of islanders pockets but happy to spend almost a Billion pounds in non cutbacks. Why not cancel the trip to Israel, would this not send out the right message as there is no proof it will be cost effective.

JEP.

TWO Island ministers are to pay an official visit to Israel next month as part of a trade mission.
Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean and ‘foreign minister’ Freddie Cohen will travel to Tel Aviv on the three-day trip from 22 to 25 May.
And Jersey Finance chief executive Geoff Cook will join them on the journey, along with three senior civil servants.

http://www.thisisjersey.com/2011/04/11/ministers-on-official-visit-and-trade-mission-to-israel/

 BB

[ageofaquarius]

Okay, let me get this straight. We are told by Mr toothpaste that we will be better off if we don't take a wage rise, despite all essentials going up. And if us plebs think for one minute we can afford to send our children to higher education, then think again.  Oh and by the way you gotta work until you die . then we are going to take your house from you if you end up in gaga land in one of those dreadful care homes, and your child who you couldn't afford to send it uni can just FO!!  It that what it has come to :'I

may as well sell up, give the proceeds to my one and only and just go on the lash - then they take care of you.   If you got nothing you got nothing to lose. 

[moot]

This most elite member of the ruling elite simply doesn't know how the other half lives
If he thinks a pay rise if bad for you why did he gave himself a £1000 rise for this year ?
The only thing I can thank him for is when his ring binder fell on the "pour" button which gave the deciding vote for the Town Park go ahead
He meant to vote "contre" but the vote stood. Without this vote would have never been a Town Park as the hierarchy never saw the point in giving us townies some green. Green is only for the country parishes and concrete is for the town riffraf