Trott takes a break from tax to sell island in Shanghai
Monday 19th October 2009, 2:29PM BST.
CHIEF Minister Lyndon Trott will tomorrow leave behind efforts to sort the island’s tax strategy as he heads to Asia to promote the island’s finance industry.
He will join a delegation of officials and business leaders from Guernsey who have already started on a trip to Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Deputy Trott will be a keynote speaker at the opening of the 6th China International Finance Forum in Shanghai on Saturday and Sunday and aims to highlight Guernsey as a leading international finance centre.
Although the delegation has already arrived in Singapore, he said his presence was not needed until later on in the trip – he will fly out tomorrow after attending today’s Policy Council meeting, which will discuss whether the States can debate scrapping zero-10 this month.
‘I have already completed the States report, which asks Policy Council members for their approval,’ he said. ‘And I will be back to lead the report on 27 October, assuming permission is given for it to be debated.’
Deputy Trott said there was no reason why the trip to Asia should be cancelled.
‘I’m not going to Singapore because my involvement is not required. The travel arrangements have not changed, they have remained exactly the same. I’m looking forward to the trip because it is going to feel like a rest, as my workload will drop from 80 to 70 hours a week,’ he said.
The chief minister said trips such as this, were very important.
‘My view is that we do nowhere near enough of them. Our entire external relations activities are done on a shoestring.’
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Couldnt agree more in every area of island life, not just finance, but culture, academia etc. Would be good to see carbon neutralising such trips or doing those that can be done by video link done that way, Guernsey needs to ensure it covers the environmental and sustainability base as well
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Can I ask if all the marketing bumf has been amended to remove the “and we’re fully EU compliant” line?
And we can hardly use ‘political stability’ when we’re about to undergo electoral reform, the constitutional relationship with our main trading partner, and drawing up new taxation legislation as a result of having been seen pulling a fast one.
That’s flux, not stability.
I can’t believe the politicians are taking this fiasco so lightly. Is (£200M) plus higher taxes a reflection of success?
We should grow bananas.
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The headline says, “Trott takes a break … to sell Island to Shanghai”. I wonder how much he will get.
The prospect of Guernsey getting any business in China is laughable.
Can all of you who denigrate this government make a diary note for, say, two years time and then start asking questions like, “How much has this cost” (a politicians last consideration) and “How many flights did you take and cities did you visit” (Maybe some peoples definition of a holiday – read his own words “I’m looking forward to the trip because it is going to feel like a rest”)and, if you dare, “What did you achieve” (zero – as in zero-ten?).
The Chinese will see what is happening with Guernsey tax, EU problems, OECD problems and go with their lready favoured jurisdictions. BVI for offshore companies and anywhere else for stock exchange activities. The delegation from Guernsey will always be met with unfailing courtesy and will be made to feel good. That’s the Chinese way. The Chinese never turn anyone down to their faces – they all hate to see someone lose face.
Guess where I am?
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And then there’s the view that the Chinese will have about the GFSC and their involvement in watching Icelandic banks slip through their hands when they’re the wicket keepers.
Why would anyone, let alone CHINA, want to be involved with such a numpty operation as the GFSC?
How long would the GFSC take to approve a PCC Cell for a Chinese company. A Month? Two months? Six months? Nine months? Only God knows and the Chinese don’t believe in him. I know for certain that some extremely reputable PCC Cells have gone elsewhere because the GFSC wastes everyones time and has no commercial common sense.
And as for Stock Exchange activities? Come on – it was just headline news that an English Rugby Club used the Guernsey Stock Exchange to raise capital. Is that what you’re offering China?
You’re having a laff, Lyndon.
Enjoy your break.
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Well I hope that our Chief Minister continues the fantastic job that he did with both the Labour & Conservative Parties for the Asia Governments too..
He did such a fantastic job that the UK has now all but disowned us !
Great Job Mr Trott !!!
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How about “Sell Island to Shanghai” as they are going places and we are in reverse.
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I’d like to point out that I’m not the same David who posted at 10.07pm on 19th October (a different Gravatar)..
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The only conclusion that I can draw is that Trotty can’t like his home life much.
What on earth do these trips achieve? And should we be cozying up to the Chinese bearing in mind their human rights record?
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Not ANOTHER freebie for Lyndon? And so soon after the last two dozen!!
The cost of these trips must be mounting up at the expense of the taxpayer surely? How about cutting down on some of the pointless five star jollies abroad and putting the money into the one of the many far more worthy causes on the island? Crazy as the idea may sound to all you financial whizzkids…
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Spot on, everyone. What IS this man thinking? More importantly, IS he thinking?
…I think – NOT.
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There is nothing wrong with selling the Island to the world. But just at this time, I would have thought Guernsey needs to be sold to jurisdictions much closer to the Island, whose perception of us is poor. Surely if the EU Member States consider zero 10 a bad move, we should be in the EU selling not China
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Can we just clear one thing up, the Chief Minister of Guernsey Deputy Trott doesn’t decide on his own where he goes or what he does, that is decided by the External Relations Group, a properly mandated group of the Policy Council. This trip to the Far East was arranged months ago and is part of a series of visits started by previous Chief Ministers to sell the financial and legal services we can provide, it might interest you to know that Guernsey is one of the worlds leading jurisdictions on trusts, financial law and intellectual property law, these visits also are there to show the Tiger economies the advantages of investing in a small well regulated jurisdiction such as ours. Previous trips have paid off and we now have business trickling in from China and the far East, it is not a torrent I will grant you but it is starting and this from one of the biggest and fastest growing economies on the planet, if we just got a fraction of one percent of the billions flowing out of the Far East into European investments, then we will do very well. It is also about building friendships and is no different to what any other business trying to invest in the future would do. Its other major plus is that it is trying to secure business that the EU can not interfere with and the more countries we trade with around the globe outside their control, the less at risk we are, with the EU we are dealing with a powerful predator and we need powerful friends that will trade with us and in some respects help keep the EU in check, after all I don’t believe the commissioners in Brussels will have much success trying to bully China or the Arab Emirates. So give T&R and the Fiscal Working Group together with the ERG al least some credit for looking ahead and trying to secure a better future for everyone. As for the Chief Minister, all you armchair experts can scoff and bluster all you like, you could not do his job, I know that much and some of the personal comments about Lyndon not wanting to be with his family are highly offensive.
Now I have lit the touch paper I can’t wait for the response.
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Careful you lot,slaging off the CM may result in some long drawing out statments from DJ.
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For gawds sake can’t someone get his states cheque book off him,he dropped us in it with the english ,then the eu, and now looks set to cheese off the other half of the world. as for an office in Brussels ?? w’ed never see him, but then again not a bad thing, whilst on that subject how many of the leading financiers who are currently chirruping away in the press about having to find another way forward, were just as adamant last year that there was no other way but zero ten (when we all knew there was!) and how great it was (anyone have the rescources to find last years headlines )and by the way a lot of us work 70 hours a week for nothing even close to what he earns, or the benefits he gets, we just have to put up with the constant and colossal cock up’s and just keep paying
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Dave, in case you hadn’t noticed, there is a fundamental flaw in your argument. The States of Guernsey is not a BUSINESS, it is supposed to be a democratic government addressing the needs of the whole of society, not just those of the financially privileged. What about the battered wives and the mentally ill? I should think we could have built a new women’s refuge AND a new psychiatric hospital with the amount of money wasted on Trott’s jollies around the world, chasing every last penny for our crooked finance industry. And don’t tell me it’s not crooked – I am not stupid or gullible.
You (like all Guernsey ‘politicians’) clearly have not taken on board that thousands of us couldn’t care LESS about the finance industry’s future. We were appalled by zero-10 and we are delighted at the EU’s intervention. How DARE our government use personal tax to subsidise super-wealthy corporations.
What most of us DO care about are the humanitarian issues that affect all of us at some point in our lives. The real social issues that should be the priority of any fully democratic government.
It is not the comments about Trott that are offensive Dave,(they are in fact just realistic), it is your ridiculous attempt to defend his globe-trotting financial wild-goose-chase that is offensive.
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Dave Jones
What I (and several of my colleagues) fail to understand is why Trott needs to go on these junkets. If it’s a case of promoting the finance industry then it is surely the role of Guernsey Finance to do this, why does Trott need to be involved?
If the Chinese want to see a token politician why don’t we send someone else for as change? How about Flouquet? Although having thought about it perhaps that would be a bit risky and could lead to a “Prince Philip” moment. McNulty-Bauer perhaps? Parkinson? Your good self? Surely Trott doesn’t consider himself to be the only one capable of doing the job? Not with the plethora of wise and talented people on the policy council………….
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I’m not sure if the rise of the Eastern economies has passed people by but it is a reality.
And entirely appropriate for Guernsey to court Chinese, South East Asian, Russian and Indian business.
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In my opinion Trott is wasting tax payers money and should after the fiasco of his enthusiastic lead zero-10, keep quite.
Everything he does costs us hard earned cash, should not the States, if they had the Island at heart put a gag on him.
My opinion is that, we can not continue to have a lose cannon, as our leader.
Dave Jones, you may beleive he is the cats whiskers, but most Islanders do not.
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Yeah but, Neil Inder, the 0-10 figurehead has been found to be either misinforming through ignorance or downright shifty.
People want answers.
He’s going over to say how great we are.
6 years of planning and £200M later, his grinning and boggling are not now the fresh face of modern Guernsey politics, but a reflection of the closed-circle of decision makers, uncaring and self interested.
All this cluelessness is very worrying.
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Arnald I tend to ignore your posts. But on this one it has to be pointed out that any ecomomic or market facts that counter your twisted hatred for our island is expected to be rebuffed by someone with your doctrine.
“He’s going over to say how great we are.”
Yes he is. It’s because we are. We are very good at what we do, in some areas of probably the best in the world.
There’s a game called Second Life where you can create a character and run through a digital world acting out your fantasies. You might want to sign up, I’m sure they must have a beret and some urban cammo where you can act out your Tooting Popular Front cartoon world in which you appear to dwell.
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So, Dave Jones, Mr. Trott has to go irrespective of whether or not he thinks it’s a good idea? The way you say it, he’s just a puppet.
Did you look at Bermudian tax?
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Sorry, Dave Jones, I don’t want you think I am singling you out but your statement that “it might interest you to know that Guernsey is one of the worlds leading jurisdictions on trusts, financial law and intellectual property law”.
Who told you that?
In reverse:
IP law has only recently been developed in Guernsey. You can either do IP law or you can’t. There’s no such thing as a leader;
Financial law? You need to explain what you understand by this. The lawyers in Guernsey do not really bare comparison with the likes of Jersey, Bermuda, Cayman and especially their counterparts in UK, USA, Canada etc. who specialise in offshore law for their own domestic/international clients. Guernsey’s lawyers cannot act for clients in the same way as say, a lawyer in UK advising on UK tax as Guernsey lawyers have no expertise in UK tax. With the glowing exception of William Simpson at Ogiers (who has experience elsewhere) I wouldn’t trust (pun intended) any of them to look after my financial affairs.
Trusts? See previous paragraph. There is nothing special about Guernsey trust law or the way that it is used under Guernsey law.
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First of all have we sunk so low that we now refer to elected politicians only by there last name, is that what it has come too?
Bridge
I agree that the States cannot be run like a business, however like any other organisation or government or company or whatever, it must plan for the future. You clearly hold some very strong views on the finance industry but without its huge revenue we would not be able to run our services or give grants to things like the Women’s refuge let alone build a new one nor indeed would we have the money for the new mental health facilities that the States will support shortly.
You call our finance industry crooked I have seen no evidence of that and perhaps you can enlighten me with some detail on this matter, our finance houses do perfectly legitimate business across the globe and I see absolutely nothing wrong in that, or that the business they do is crooked. You may not care less about the finance sector but there are thousand of local people who do, who have well paid jobs and a high standard of living from the revenue this sector generates. Then there are plumbers, electricians, carpenters in fact a whole host of tradesmen and those they employ as a direct result of this revenue circulating in the economy. On you point about personal taxes, how high do you think personal taxes would be without the huge contribution from the finance sector? I defend the Chief Ministers role because that is what he is sent to do, if we want to be recognised as being world players then that will entail going out into the big wide world, with all the threats against us and the attempts by those envious of our success to disrupt our economy, we need to carve a niche for ourselves just as Guernsey has always done.
Phil
Many of the big players like to talk to the man at the top, it was exactly the same when Deputy Morgan and Deputy Torode were Chief Ministers, I get the feeling that some of you think that this global networking is something new, it isn’t and trips such as these have taken place for years. It is true some are more successful than others but as I said these people like to talk to the person at the top of the food chain. As for the Treasury Minister has been on several trips and I think even he will tell you that Deputy Trott’s knowledge on the subject matter is exceptional and he is very good at grasping quite complex issues very quickly and understanding where they fit into the bigger picture, if you talk to any member of the External Relations Group or Policy Council members I think you will find unanimity on that point. There are hundreds of trips a year that the Chief Minister could go on meeting people on a mountain of different subjects that may have some relevance to what happens in this island, we on the ERG select the meetings worth going to that are likely to yield the best results, of course there is some cost involved and those from the finance sector who sometimes accompany the CM on these delegations pay their own way. I could go on but I suspect whatever I say will be met with further hostile arguments.
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Equet
I make no secret that I believe Deputy Trott is a very good Chief Minister but I also have to tell you that we also disagree strongly on several subjects. The first being executive government, the second I suppose would be our very heated exchanges over the overspends by the old Board of Administration but I think our biggest falling out has been over this wretched unaffordable, dinosaur of an incinerator. So don’t run away with the idea that Lyndon and I will be picking out curtains together anytime soon
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David Jones – keep at it. Nil desperandum. I never said that I disagree with everything that you say!!!
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Aeschylus|
I think I know who you are and as a States Member you should be brave enough to post under your own name.
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Well I can’t say I believe anything said by any member of the States, English or Guernsey, or even would half and half
But the stupid remark about sinking of esteem by calling people by their surnames is old trash.
my goodness the colleges of the world teach such manners, it is supposed to show higher intelligence.
So don’t worry Dave, you’re quite safe,
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Dear David,
You are doing someone else a complete injustice as I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the States. I will take your comment as a compliment.
Did you look at Bermudian tax?
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is Guernseyfinance or something like that, an organization funded by dave jones’s long suffering tax payer,supposed to sell our financial services overseas? If so surely there is no need for deputy trott to globetrot. sorry about the pun.
can anyone help me out on this one?
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Kevin
Even Merlin can’t help you on that item, for there is nothing fast and most is loose.
Maybe sometime in the future som film Mogul may make a film about the Guernsey (ha ha) government,
It’ll be a best seller, a real comedy.
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Dave
I am not denying that Morgan and Torode used to go on the odd trip, but you cannot seriously suggest that they were anywhere near as frequent as Trott’s escapades?
As for people wanting to see “the man at the top”, are these people not aware of Trotty’s actual position i.e. he has no executive power?
I would be very interested to know how often “the top man” in Jersey or the IOM goes jetting around the world.
As for referring to people by their surname, what’s wrong with that? People talk of Brown, Cameron, Obama, Sarkozy etc all the time. Are our politicans really that precious that they take offence to being called by their surname? If that’s the case then they ought to look for another job, being ridiculously thin-skinned is hardly a good attribute for a politician is it?
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Phil
In those days there was certainly not the publicity surrounding these trips, in the old days of A&F when I joined the States you would only hear or know about them when the head of A&F returned of if someone asked why the President was off island. That is no longer the case and I believe as do other members of the External Relations Group that the Chief Ministers visits should be publicised. On point on executive power is not relevant, none of the leaders of the Crown Dependencies can give any cast iron assurances on major issues without the consent of their parliaments, The leaders of the other two dependencies do go on these official visits as to how often you would have to ask them, we are only interested in keeping Guernsey’s economy viable and the revenue streams at sufficient levels to serve our people. On the use of surnames, I did not say politicians are precious; however I do think that they are entitled to be referred to by their Christian name or Deputy so and so. As for being thin skinned I don’t think you could accuse any of us in public office of having that.
Aeschylus
If I am then I apologise and no I haven’t as yet looked at Bermuda Tax
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Thanks for the apology but no need – you only “thought” that I was someone else and, even in these days, people are still allowed to think.
Aren’t they ……………
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I agree with you on executive government we have changed too much to a system, that is getting more English by the day.
I do not know what your views are on the overspends, but l believe the spending was incompetent.
This has left us with,building that are badly built and costly to maintain,and with the continuous repairing to be carried out.
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GUERNSEYS ANSWER TO ALAN WICKER
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This Chief Minister of ours seems to make more foreign trips than the whole of the UK’s labour Government do.
Its a pity that he dd not travel less so that some of his pot could be put towards some kind of benefits for the disabled people in Guernsey.
Yes Mr Trott, while your swanning around the world having a jolly good time, some less physically abled persons are having to beg or borrow to pay for services provided by many countries regarded as third world. That is the right to life and services that will assist them to manage their disability. Disgraceful to say you are promoting your Island in a country with no regard for human rights. But reality Guernsey is not far behind China I guess when I see how you treat your own citizens.
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Oh Mr Trott, oh President Sir- far and wide and off you go, away again on your travelling show
Promoting our Isle for all it is worth, who’s paying for you to travel around planet earth.
Carbon aside, the travelling you’ve done, your footprint will be bigger than that of Big John.
What good will you do with all the business you get, perhaps you can buy, you the president, his very own jet.
Come now, Sir President dear, look in your own yard first it’s in a mess I fear.
Zero 10, your wonderful plan has fallen flat on its face, it’s down the pan.
It seems to me Mr President dear, you have the Midas touch, but much in reverse I fear.
Still this is nothing new they say, I hope you enjoy your chicken satay.
If only you’d taken the trouble you’d see, we have Chinese eateries nearer for thee. They really are closer to home, so you could have done business using email or the old fashioned thing called a telephone.
I hope you’re enjoying your holiday out east, making new friends while having a feast. Don’t give a thought though, to those back home with failing health and feeling so low.
So the next time, Mr Minister Trott, you’re costing out your latest plot.
Think that if you chose to stay, your Government might have enough to pay-
For what in many third world countries their servants get every day. A right to life, a right to medical facilities.
You are depriving someone of tax payers’ lolly so you can have a really good jolly.
Disgusting on anyone’s book and sorry to say that’s not folly.
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Dave Jones
We have the same views on executive government,overspending and the dinosaur incinerator,but do not agree on CM Trott.
When our CM, who i believe was Vice President of the B.of Ad. at the time of the overspends.
I have no respect for him when.
1.Threatens a fellow Deputy.
2.Wastes the tax payers money by buying two tankers.
3.Opens our cheque book and pays off the the firemen, with some of our limited cash reserves, without resolving the problem.
4.Because of (1) he was compromised and could not recomend, after the racial joke by our Deputy Minister. That we get rid of somebody, who no only told bad jokes, but lacked any sort of judgement.
This is why should we pay for him to go away on these trips.
These jolies, in my opinion, serve no purpose at all, apart from wasting funds that are in short supply.
WE have Peter Niven and the Financial Services, who do the work, without provoking these countries.
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wobberler
Judith Chalmers more like!!!
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Equet
Yes Lyndon was on the BOA but he was never Vice president that was over a period of time Neil McCathie, Martin Ozanne and the last vice president was Mike Best.
1 You and I have no factual knowledge of the incident with a fellow States member as neither of us was there, in any altercation there are always two sides to every story.
2 It was not the Chief Ministers idea to buy the two fuel tankers it was a unanimous decision of the Policy Council as a whole to protect the islands future vital fuel supplies.
3 The Chief Minister did not “Open our cheque book and pay off the firemen”, the decision to pay the firemen came from the Public Services Department who employs them and the decision quite rightly in my view was taken to get the airport open. I am quite confident there will be a long term resolution to this dispute.
4 The decision on whether the Deputy Chief Minister should stay or go was taken by the States which is as it should be, they elected Dep Flouquet and it is only they who could remove him. The Chief Minister has no power to remove any Minister from his post that can only be done by the States.
I would disagree that the trips you refer to as jollies serve no purpose but of course you are entitled to your view, However the States disagrees with that view and through the mandate of the ERG sanctions our involvement with the offshore international finance community. Your last statement is odd how is the Chief Minister “provoking countries”?
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There is a risk of course of offending the Chinese by not sending the “head honcho” of our little “fly poo on the map” jurisdiction, but
the conference sounds like a bunch of european expats anyway.
What if they ask him how much tax their Guernsey offshore company will have to pay?
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Dave Jones – YAAAWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!
Neil Inder (in response to Arnald) hahahahaha!!!! very droll.
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Edquet
I spent four years working in Japan a portion of that in Hong Kong and have some knowledge of the Japanese and Chinese culture.
It is a cultural fact that the Far Eastern cultures like dealing with the ‘man’. That’s how they do business. If part of Peter Niven’s mandate is to promote Guernsey then wheeling out the CM gets doors opened in these countries. That is a fact of how they do business and indisputable.
The rationale that lays behind some of the forum contributors reasons whether LT should be going has less to do with tax payer expense but more to do with personal dislike.
Whether you like LT or loathe LT it is an absolute fact that the Guernsey Finance is better served with him in tow. And as he is the current CM, it’s part of his job.
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Neil Inder
就 蜘 嫡 掴 耽 椿 托
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Dave Jones
Come-come Dave, less of the sententious rhetoric if you please. You know as well,if not better than everyone else, that calling Trott – Trott is an infinite improvement on his nick names, some of which were known to be uttered by yourself in a former life.
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Paul Bing Translator displays:
“It’s better to Chun 蜘 Tono slapping”
LOL
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Neil Inder
Nope your wrong!
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Janine
I am sure I do not know what you mean.
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Dave Jones
Neil Inder has got the same dilemma it would appear!
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If he is so much use to the Finance Industry, why are we footing the bill for his Finance enhancing travels and not them. They are all businesses and making stacks of money at, it would appear, our expense and paying zero tax , at the moment, but that’s another story.
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Hi Dave Jones.
1.Threatens a fellow deputy.
This was widely reported on Channel T.V and B.B.C, with a reenactment of what was said and done.
2.Wastes tax payers money by buying two tankers.
In my opinion he is a strong character and forces his views polices though. like zero-10.
Peter Roffey said i believe, that it was his enthusiasm that got this approved.
The trouble is when you have a week Policy Council, this can happen.
3.The firemen were paid off, that is a fact.
The best quote on this was from Ron Le Cras and it will not be exactly as said.
After the P.R.C lead by Al Brouard resigned on block.
“He said that if we have trouble with the new committee, we have the man on top to go to”.
4. As l said in (1). He was compromised, so he could not recommend or advise that the DCM, should be dismissed by the States.
I do like you Dave, but you must open your eyes more, to what the public think.
My dad had a horse once,and he could only run in a straight line.
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Instead of individuals having to traval all over the world,could it be feasable to invent a web character who could become as well known as Stone d Croze or Andy Capp or whatever, say called( InfoGuern ),run by a States dept or private enterprise.This character would be able to supply up to date info on the finance industry world wide ,plus any other info that might seem useful at the time on any other subject.Could be a complete waste of time,or could be the begining of something well worthwhile.Any really brainy people out there who could kick the idea about & come up with something useful.
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Edquet
It was widely reported in the news, however I have searched the media sites and cannot fined any so called re-enactment of this altercation ,perhaps you can direct me to it?
Having a strong personality is not enough to persuade the PC to part with 17 ½ million for the two tankers it was a sensible strategic decision sanctioned by the whole States as being such.
I am on the PC and with the best will in the world I don’t think you could describe me as weak, nor the other Ministers for that matter, who all run busy and difficult departments on occasions and in my view you wouldn’t get a job as a Minister in the first place if you were considered to be “weak”.
Peter Roffey says lots of things, that don’t make it true.
Ron Le Cras also can make whatever statements he sees fit he also admits that it was the PAC who paid the fireman not the Chief Minister.
On your last point there was an enquiry by the code of conduct group into the DCM’s joke and they recommended he be reprimanded by the States. On top of that a group of States members brought a Vote of no confidence in the DCM which was lost , it would certainly not be right for the CM to make any comment one way or another while the Code of Conduct panel was sitting or before the States had made up its mind on the DCM’s future. I do have my eyes open and i am much closer to the action than you which is probably why we differ so much in our views. Now Edquet I know you will not agree but this is my last comment on this particular thread.
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Liked Aeschylus’s comment best, so am RT-ing (repeat tweeting) it:
“And then there’s the view that the Chinese will have about the GFSC and their involvement in watching Icelandic banks slip through their hands when they’re the wicket keepers.
“Why would anyone, let alone CHINA, want to be involved with such a numpty operation as the GFSC?”
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Dear Dave as a true Guern, with a passport that says that.
My last word, on this subject, and as the Donkey said, ” you and the cabal were weak to vote for zero 10,( costing the tax payer 200million ) as you now, have to go to a zero 20 as Deputy Charles Parkinson first said”
I gave this gentleman, his full name, as a mark of respect.
He has not said,” l told you so”.
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Gary the whole island which the CM represents will benefit from enhanced business from the Far East not just the finance houses, the funds that come into Guernsey from non EU related business will be income that others envious of our success will be unable to interfere with. Through the taxes this business will hopefully generate, will help fund our much needed services, whether we like it or not we are an international finance centre and we have to constantly find ways of generating income. The business leaders who make up the delegations that go on these foraging trips do pay their own way and that is as it should be but government has a role to play as well.
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Equet
Just a correction Charles could not say “I told you so” as he also wanted the Zero product his preference was zero 20 and if we move we will not be going to Zero anything it is likely to be 10-10 sorry to be pedantic.
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Equet
Sorry but you are wrong. We aren’t going for zero-20 as that is equally non-compliant. Deputy Parkinson’s zero-20, if it had been passed instead of zero-10, would be facing exactly the same current problem.
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