States of Jersey policy is fundamentally flawed

It is now a few months since the incumbents were elected and they have had time to settle in and begin to publish what they see as the justifications not only for their salaries but for the existence of the government in Jersey.

The number one stated priority is 'job creation'. It is very easy to create work, work that does not need to be done. We already have the highest percentage of people employed in government funded jobs anywhere in the world. Of course in recent years they have become adroit at pretending that these government jobs are not government jobs at all, at least for the purposes of statistics but fundamentally anyone whose income is either paid directly by the government or by government funds paid to a third party is a government employee.

There is already a government career path (notionally of last resort) mapped out for every person who has resided in Jersey for five years; that of welfare case. As a job it is fundamentally unfulfilling, there are hoops to be jumped through, forms to be filled in, numerous unsuccessful applications to be made, your income is subject to the whim of power mad, social security staff who feel free to re-write the law with impugnity if the intended recipient does not prove to be subservient enough or merely for their own perverted amusement.

However these jobs are of the utmost importance to the entire system. If there was no one to assist how could all these civil servants justify their salaries.

As an island we have been developing likely candidates for many years; sub-standard education where it is more important that no teacher be shown in a bad light than anyone receive an education. The next stage was to slowly destroy all industry in Jersey; the first to go was Tourism when the government decided they knew better than the hotel owners how the Tourism industry should be run. There are a few hardy souls who have survived despite the odds in spite of and not because of the government.

The finance industry has slowly been driven from Jersey. All the jobs which local school leavers used to walk into have been regulated out of the island and the authorities are pushing new business away with over-regulation.

The retail industry is groaning under ever increasing taxation as the GST cash point is used over and over again to not only squeeze more money in but force sales outside the island. The ever increasing parking charges mean that people simply do not use local businesses.

Only one sector is doing well, the government sector which continues to grow exponentially although at least they are now bothering to try to hide the fact. This is the one sector which should be being pruned.

The same old problem and the same lack of insight on the part of our politicians.