Letters to rag, is the cat out of the bag now on the JDA?

[Jason the Maverick]

The JDA are a disaster waiting to happen

From ********.

********, St Helier.

I WRITE with regard to my thoughts of the Jersey Democratic Alliance after listening to the BBC’s ‘Talkback’ on Sunday, with Montfort Tadier and John Christensen. I must say that if this party were ever to obtain any power it would be a disaster for everybody — and that includes the working class.

John Christensen is a very well-known critic of Jersey’s finance industry, and most recently due to outside pressures of which he was a part we have been forced to go to zero-ten.
This has lost millions in revenue for the Island, so we are now all having to pay GST.

The JDA have so far shown no manifesto and they have shown no plausible alternatives to GST in detail. They have shown no support for the finance industry, which employs more than 13,000 of the population. They have shown no regard for current ministers, whom they attack, especially on the internet, in a manner that can only be described as childish, crass and spiteful.

I therefore thank the BBC for allowing a live radio station to pair a JDA member and a member of the A UK Pro Tax Group, who were in agreement all through the interview, because at least we, the electorate, really know what this party is all about now. They are anti-finance, they have not got a clue where money will come from if the finance industry is forced to go, and they cannot see the bigger picture. Please vote against them this autumn.

Published 8/4/2008

[Chief Minister]

This doesn't surprise me, they have never shown any support for finance, but I wont be voting for em anyway.

[Tory Boy]

Vote Tory!

[Al]

The letter posted above from tonight's JEP (8/4/08) is not entirely representative of all the coverage received by the JDA in this edition - page 20 feature a long comment by that well-known radical, Peter Body (Editor of Business Brief magazine).
Under the headline 'Come on, it's party time' he begins 'I'm a great supporter of the Jersey Democratic Alliance. Well, perhaps I should rephrase that. I'm a great supporter of 'the idea' of the JDA. I actually agree with very few of its policies but I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of a group of interested individuals getting together to try to influence Island politics...What needs to happen now is for another credible group to emerge which also has a set of policies which are distinct from the JDA (although not necessarily different in all cases)...'
He continues later 'No one can complain about the current political system in Jersey being undemocratic. It's just that it doesn't work properly...When faced with a string of individuals, how do we decide which one to vote for? Is it the one who sounds most sensible, the one who's likely to do the least damage or the one who has the next big idea?...It doesn't really matter, because when you vote you haven't got a clue whether your candidate will do as they say or whether they have a cat's hope of achieving what they say they want to do.'...and on thro' and argument for candidates representing political parties of like-minded individuals allowing electors to make more meaningful choices.
The article concludes 'Whatever happens, I hope that before the next election someone, somewhere will create a political party that I can vote for or not vote for. I'm getting a little fed up with wasting my vote on people whose policies are obscure or non-existent. I want my vote to have meaning, even if it's only to take the blame for putting into office a party that has failed to achieve what I wanted it to achieve.'
The whole article is worth reading - kinda radical both for the JEP and a prominent member of the business community. One of the best summaries of why our system of representation fails that I have read.

(I couldn't find this anywhere on the JEP website but searching on there always really annoys me anywhere - if anyone else can find a link and post it that would be great... Otherwise, I have only chosen selective quotes, partly because my typing is so bad - if anyone wants to pick out other quotes that seem thought-provoking or apposite that would, also, be good).

[Jason the Maverick]

I read it and he is saying that he would not vote JDA.

[Bea]

The letter posted above from tonight's JEP (8/4/08) is not entirely representative of all the coverage received by the JDA in this edition - page 20 feature a long comment by that well-known radical, Peter Body (Editor of Business Brief magazine).
Under the headline 'Come on, it's party time' he begins 'I'm a great supporter of the Jersey Democratic Alliance. Well, perhaps I should rephrase that. I'm a great supporter of 'the idea' of the JDA. I actually agree with very few of its policies but I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of a group of interested individuals getting together to try to influence Island politics...What needs to happen now is for another credible group to emerge which also has a set of policies which are distinct from the JDA (although not necessarily different in all cases)...'
He continues later 'No one can complain about the current political system in Jersey being undemocratic. It's just that it doesn't work properly...When faced with a string of individuals, how do we decide which one to vote for? Is it the one who sounds most sensible, the one who's likely to do the least damage or the one who has the next big idea?...It doesn't really matter, because when you vote you haven't got a clue whether your candidate will do as they say or whether they have a cat's hope of achieving what they say they want to do.'...and on thro' and argument for candidates representing political parties of like-minded individuals allowing electors to make more meaningful choices.
The article concludes 'Whatever happens, I hope that before the next election someone, somewhere will create a political party that I can vote for or not vote for. I'm getting a little fed up with wasting my vote on people whose policies are obscure or non-existent. I want my vote to have meaning, even if it's only to take the blame for putting into office a party that has failed to achieve what I wanted it to achieve.'
The whole article is worth reading - kinda radical both for the JEP and a prominent member of the business community. One of the best summaries of why our system of representation fails that I have read.

(I couldn't find this anywhere on the JEP website but searching on there always really annoys me anywhere - if anyone else can find a link and post it that would be great... Otherwise, I have only chosen selective quotes, partly because my typing is so bad - if anyone wants to pick out other quotes that seem thought-provoking or apposite that would, also, be good).

I spotted that ,and thought how times are changing .Seen a bit of balance of late in JEP.Not before time .Hope it lasts .

[Jason the Maverick]

He was saying that the Island needs a new party but I think the issue in this year's elections will be independents. 

We have already seen political parties form and break up pretty quickly in Jersey.  If not by their name but by their representatives.

[Bea]

He was saying that the Island needs a new party but I think the issue in this year's elections will be independents. 

We have already seen political parties form and break up pretty quickly in Jersey.  If not by their name but by their representatives.

You can have lots of independents who have several key areas that they wish to see change in ,and agreeing with other independents on core areas .
They don't have to agree lock stock and barrel with each other ,but say in this case could agree to a General Election,(get rid of the farce we have now) tidying up the secrecy of the appointment of Chief Minister.The Bailiff and Constables issue .At least would be a start to get momentum going.

[Jason the Maverick]

I think we could do with more than just a few new faces this year.  The JDA members should be voted out.  The old politicians should also go.

We basically need a change of face, but I will only be voting for people that are willing to protect the industry of which I rely upon for my wage.  And that is finance.

[White Knight]

If the finance went we would not need so much money, shall we say 20,000 leaving the island. Plenty of room for everyone. The services would not be so stretched out. Think about it? We were ok before the finance came in and took over the island. We would still have tourists coming here for the peaceful layback friendly way of the island. Not the money grabbing island we have become.

[White Knight]

No the island would be back in the hands of the local!!!!!  Cannot come quick enough!!!!!!!!!

[White Knight]

Look the island only needs the money because of the finance industry. Back to a population that there is enough water, the services no longer stretched, plenty of living accommodation and SPACE. We would not need the huge amount of money that the States have to find every year because we would not need huge projects i.e. land reclaimation,huge incinerator etc. etc.

[White Knight]

Get all the non born jersey people out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave the island to the jersey person, we were fine as we were. Then finance comes and brings all the money grabbing b*****s to make a quick buck and pull this island to pieces!!!!!! Christ it is so bad the young ones do not stand a chance anymore. Jobs in the trades go to non locals, look at the building which we would not need but all foreign labour used. Jersey firms going out of business. Some people do not realise that you do not need loads of money to enjoy life but if one wants to behave and live like a wag, let them go to London or somewhere where the wags go and leave us to enjoy our island!!!

[rico sorda]

I think we could do with more than just a few new faces this year.  The JDA members should be voted out.  The old politicians should also go.

We basically need a change of face, but I will only be voting for people that are willing to protect the industry of which I rely upon for my wage.  And that is finance.

AH dumbledork the king of Finance ... Its great looking back

rs

[moot]

Get all the non born jersey people out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave the island to the jersey person, we were fine as we were. Then finance comes and brings all the money grabbing b*****s to make a quick buck and pull this island to pieces!!!!!! Christ it is so bad the young ones do not stand a chance anymore. Jobs in the trades go to non locals, look at the building which we would not need but all foreign labour used. Jersey firms going out of business. Some people do not realise that you do not need loads of money to enjoy life but if one wants to behave and live like a wag, let them go to London or somewhere where the wags go and leave us to enjoy our island!!!

White Knight ( or in this case Short Sight )
You have forgotten that many Jersey born people were happy to sell their houses, land, farms and businesses to these "money grabbing b*****s. The Finance industry has made many Jersey born people very rich indeed.
It gave their children the opportunity to obtain an excellent education and therefore a good start in life
Many Jersey born families have fallen out over their greed when selling their family homes to these "b*****s
If the Jersey born people hadn't liked it the finance industry would never got a foot on the ground
I am surprised about your shortsighted comment as I tend to agree with many of your other comments