JUST six weeks before he quits politics, Chief Minister Mike Torode is in Shanghai promoting Guernsey. He is part of a delegation including senior government officials and business leaders in China until the end of the week.
And Deputy Torode insists he is the right man to be on the trip, even at the end of his 29 years in politics.
‘No one knows who is going to be in the next House just yet so it’s unreasonable to think that someone else might be better placed to go.
‘China is the fastest-growing economy in the world and if we could just attract a tiny percentage of its business, we would be in a very good position,’ said Deputy Torode.
The trip had been in the pipeline for several months, he said, so it was not in anyone’s interests to delay the visit until a new House and chief minister had been elected.
‘We can’t allow other people to steal a march on us. It was something that we started the ball rolling for some months ago.
‘We now have Wendy Weng as our Guernsey representative in Shanghai and we have a whole set of lawyers, bankers and investment bankers who are joining us in going out there.’
The Guernsey party includes States chief executive Mike Brown, GFSC director of investment business Peter Moffatt and deputy director of insurance Michael Graham.
They are meeting Chinese politicians, government representatives and dignitaries including the vice-mayor of Shanghai, the Shanghai Financial Services Commission, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and financial services firms already based in the city.
Chinese national Ms Weng was appointed by GuernseyFinance in December to nurture relationships and improve communication between Guernsey and China.
Article posted on 4th March, 2008 - 12.30pm
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