Q. Will tourism be the principal source of the growth and diversification of our economy, what level of States investment in tourism is appropriate?
A. Tourism broadens our economy, enhances the quality of island life and creates employment, it needs support. Event led tourism: arts, sports, culture, heritage, environment festivals all will bring visitors. The long lead times and risk will require financial support. There will be economic growth but growth in other sectors such as design, hi tech; media, renewable energy technology are big diversification opportunities.
Q. Should the States put pressure on the international banks to reduce imported contract staff and employ local people for these roles?
A. Economic necessity requires us to bring in expert skills now because there are insufficient people with the required skills available locally. We have to improve the training and education of young people to equip them for the work which is needed. We can become less reliant on imported contractors, but this will take time.
Q. Should Jersey negotiate with the EU for special dispensation to control immigration from the EU?
A. The expert advice is that this would require us to renegotiate the protocol of Jersey’s status within the EU, which is part of the UK’s agreement. Renegotiation alone is not really feasible. If the UK’s agreement with the EU changes then the situation may change. I expect our external relations minister to keep up with developments.
Q. What do the candidates think are implications of the property tax proposals?
A. If ever there was a green paper to read closely, this is it. It must mean paying more tax; we are paying too much now. At first sight it seems to proposing property rates be centrally administered by the Treasury Minister. This means that the Minister would be able to set the rate instead of parish assemblies. I support taxing windfall gains on rezoning of land, but not taxes on capital gains or on unrealised increases in property values.
Q. What are the candidate’s views on collective responsibility of ministers?
A. I voted against this change. In the absence of party politics this centralisation of power runs entirely counter to our historic culture of consensus government and the characteristics of good government . We have no means of giving a democratic mandate to the Chief Minister’s policies. My experience has been that ministers are defensive of their policies and take little account of the views of scrutiny. I prefer independent members voting in the best interests of the island.
Q What are the candidate’s views on zero hour’s contracts and what can be done about them?
A. There is abuse of such contracts and we should regulate them to prevent them being used inappropriately.
Share with:
