27 April 2010

Time4Change - speech - Public Services March & Rally 24th April 2010

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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousTuesday, 27 April, 2010

    Why no comments allowed on yt?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rob KentTuesday, 27 April, 2010

    It's refreshing to hear intelligent ideas on Jersey's situation.

    The problem in Jersey is not having a finance industry per se - commerce and finance are dynamic motors in our world and will remain so.

    The problem is that Jersey people who are not part of the higher-paid finance sector are suffering grievously. Their standard of living is notably lower due to the presence of the finance industry - a result of the 'Dutch Disease' economic phenomenon.

    I don't mean they are suffering in the sense that the absolute poor suffer. I mean that they are suffering because they sense the inequality implicit in being surrounded by the symbols of wealth while they struggle to pay their mortgages and bills each month.

    They can sense the 'easy money' that swills through Jersey and understand intuitively that cuts, belt-tightening, and tough times only apply to them. Recessions never enter the best restaurants.

    With the right politicians in charge it should be possible to have a successful finance industry - which contributes its fair share in taxes - as part of a mixed economy.

    No doubt Jersey will get to that place but only when it puts the interest of the majority - by definition, the common people - first.

    The beginning of that movement is what frightened the JEP Leader writer when he commented on the march.

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  3. Deputy Montfort TadierTuesday, 27 April, 2010

    Rob, thanks for your comment. I think you have explained well how commerce and finance can still have a vital place in a revised socio-economic model.

    So why do you think the JEP editorial and others are so frightened? Surely a fairer, successful society is better all round, no?

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  4. Deputy Montfort TadierTuesday, 27 April, 2010

    Hey Nonny Nonny Mouse,

    I think that Time4ChangeTV must has forgotten or decided not to enable comments on youtube. However, posts, as Rob has shown, can be left here.

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Deputy Montfort TadierTuesday, 27 April, 2010

    And for those who are wondering, an explanation of 'Dutch Disease' can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease

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  6. Rob KentWednesday, 28 April, 2010

    Re "So why do you think the JEP editorial and others are so frightened?"

    I really think it is a conditioned reflex. They cannot envision a different form of politics to the 'Jersey Way'. But like the invention of all traditions, the Jersey Way is not a true representation of history because it elides all of the previous protest movements and uprisings that do not fit with its benign paternalist model.

    It might be revealing for Jersey students to know the true history of this kind of protest in Jersey. Far from being 'unprecedented' as the JEP Leader stated, they were quite common.

    As usual, TonyMusings has the facts:

    http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2009/05/jersey-workers-uprising-in-may.html

    http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2009/05/jersey-workers-victorian-age-to-great.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease

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