From the Summit of the Moral High Ground

Gigabit Jersey  launched a limited trial to residents of Castle Quay early in 2011. It is absurd for Airtel and Sure to suggest that we should not have a fibre optic cable network. Just so they can eliminate competing technologies? Philip Ozouf and Freddie Cohen were sold on  the idea  during a recent visit to Mumbai, India and both were committed to utilising public money to support its introduction to Jersey. It has become one of the flagship programmes of the Jersey government but I am not convinced that it is a wise use of public money. Jersey Telecom is a private company which is owned by its shareholders, is run by directors for the exclusive benefit of those shareholders. Now 51% of the shares happen to be owned by the States of Jersey but that does not mean it is a public body by any means, nor that it should be given any special favours by the government. Jersey Telecom should be run by the directors, without the interference of government, with the sol...

The welfare state, as defined in textbooks, is a form of government where the state ensures the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based on the principle of public responsibility for those unable to secure a decent standard of living independently. While this concept encompasses various economic and social arrangements, critiques suggest it fosters dependence that aligns with governmental goals of social control. This dependence increases as higher taxation funds more generous social programs, ensnaring more citizens in a cycle of benefit reliance. This dynamic creates a tacit agreement between voters and politicians: politicians promise support and voters absolve themselves of personal responsibility, preferring leaders who pledge, "Trust me, I will look after you." Critics warn this collective complacency mirrors the behaviour of a herd led unknowingly to unfavourable outcomes. Key concepts contextualising this discussion include: Social Welfare: ...