1

Lynnie

Next thing you know he’ll be taking a spot away from a local in the hill climb.

Bloney foreigners!

;-p

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3

Sandy

It would be good if he could get that much desired “privacy and peace and quiet” without the Guernsey media chasing him around every time he sets foot outside his door.

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5

Dudley B

I’m sure that the fact that Jenson has bought a house in Guernsey will be good publicity for the Island.Jenson has a growing army of fans so the publicity will be good for Guernsey. If he were to have a place in the Hill Climb I’m sure it would be an extra slot and not take a space away from a local. This again would bring good publicity to the island. I hope that most of the letter/comments are positive and will make him feel welcome in this wonderful island.

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7

Dave Jones

Jimmy I think Jensen’s contract with McLaren might exclude him from bouncing off granite walls up the Terres, I could be wrong and it’s a great idea.

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9

Jimmy

Mr Jones…Lighten up man, it’s not serious and will probably never happen.
Jim..what the heck are doing posting at 2:47am are you that worried about all the best people living in Guernsey not Jersey?
Playing the devils advocate card, only the other day we read that the population had grown by 548 during the economic downturn with cries of horror from posters on this site, is it now 549, and why is it ok for some “foreigner” like Mr Button to come to Guernsey when he’ll pay no tax and only be here a few months of the year at most when most of the other “imports” will probably be working, paying tax and social and buying everyday stuff in the local shops.

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11

TL

Jimmy – you are assuming that the house he is bought is currently empty. If it is being sold by a family of 4 who are leaving, then the rise has reduced by 2, quite aside from the fact that he will no doubt spend a lot of time elsewhere.

You also assume he’ll pay no tax. Depending on how much time he does spend here, his worldwide income might be taxed (up to the maximum tax amount) – although I am sure he can spread his time around his various homes and the race circuit to avoid that.

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13

Maz

Bernie was only saying the other day he wants to put more races on the F1 calender, I think we should suggest a street race here that goes from the Bridge through Town up the Terres and back…the Kev’s can show ‘em how its done i they need some help!!

I agree with Sandy, let Jenson have his peace and quiet, but let him have Sarnie Cherie as his national anthem when he wins ;)!!!

Jim, you have Nigel Mansell so no need to be jealous

Jimmy, doh! do you not think Jenson has enough money to buy an Open Market house?

Personally i say Wharro Jenson, welcome to Guernsey!

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15

Derek

So Jenson’s moving to Guernsey for “peace and quiet” is he? In a 25 square mile island occupied by 60,000 people? Why not the Hebrides? My guess is that it’s really got nothing to do with friends, geography or the quiet life. Perhaps the announcement has been timed so as to extract better tax deals from the local authorities in Zurich or Monaco (the more usual F1 driver nesting grounds).

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17

valeite

I have to say I would not even recognise Jenson Button if I fell over him, he has one of those faces, he looks like a lot of people, get my drift.
Welcome to Guernsey Mr Button I hope you will be very happy here, dont forget you have to reside here 90days for tax reasons!!!!

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19

Steve-O

GG’s “keep guernsey for the guerns” xenophobia is very conspicuous by its absence here

Or are they only welcome here as long as they are famous??

Welcome to Guernsey Jenson, you’ll love it here!

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21

sammy

Money talks in GY i’m sure he and his conies will take advantage of everything the island has to offer !!!

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23

TL

simon – “But hey if every wealthy individual decided to do the same as Jensen, how could any of us compete for Housing/Goods/services?
And whats to stop them? certainly not our open arms policy!! ”

mmm, maybe the fact that he can only buy an open market house, which automatically limits the number of people that can do this?

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25

Ray

TL

simon may have been confused by the unfortunate headline ‘ F1 champion Jenson buys local house ‘

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27

joe baggott , France

I will bet what’s left of my Landsbanki Guernsey savings that he is shrewd enough not to bring his piggy bank with him. !!!

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29

Toni Bandinee

Is’nt he related to Button’s in the high street?

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31

Steve-O

GG

So in other words, yes.

You are happy with the rich and famous moving here but not the poorer looking for a better way of life or the importation of essential skill.

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33

Steve-O

GG

I meant the Latvians, Portuguese and other seasonal workers such as builders that you constantly lambast.

You really should think before you post.

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35

Bart

GG

I really am getting a bit sick of you using these forums to vent your rage about anyone who isn’t English. You very rarely have an argument (and i mean debate rather than telling someone else they are wrong). Perhaps you should go and post your remarks on the BNP website where they might be appreciated.

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37

Dean

GG, the seasonal workers are generally here to do the jobs us Guernsey folks think we are too good for.

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39

Petit bot

Toni Bandinee, are you on drugs?

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41

simon

Steve-O
Maybe we should be importing labour from further afield? I recon we could get people here for just the cost of food and water. They would be honoured to sleep under a boat on the beach and work for all of the waking day then some more at night. So why do we offer a lifeline to people who are less in need of these jobs, should we not be thinking global?

Personally Im not sure why you, and many others on here, seem to think we should sacrafice our Islands resources just to ensure one company or another has staff.
Employers, including our own states members and government, need to realise that staff here are a limited resource, and should be regarded as such. Job creation in my view is not a good enough reason to import hords of people and upset our Islands balance.

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43

Dean

Kate, I have also likened GG to a League of Gentleman character on these pages. It’s almost as if she is doing it on purpose.

She will be demanding they destroy ‘New Road’ next!

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45

kate

Dean – great minds think alike!

I’ve never know such xenophobic views as GG’s. She also says that the poorer should move to the UK as the house prices are cheaper. Well in that case she clearly thinks I should move too. I am local but I am poor, I can’t afford to buy property. What little I have I’ve worked hard for. I have worked, and still work, with non-local people. GG’s views are out-dated and offensive.

Let’s hope Mr Button isn’t unfortunate enough to cross paths with GG or he might not stay in Guernsey long enough to unpack!

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47

Chubby

Hi Jenson

If you’re reading this, please can I be your officially hedge veg adviser.

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49

GG

Steve-O

You’ve got the wrong end of the stick mate, as have you my dear Kate.

I said that I have no problem with people purchasing open-market houses, all I think is that the licensing system needs changing, I believe there are many foreign folk working for the States in their big offices, I think this could be reduced, and even local people could work for the States, that’d be a first, eh!

Kate, my post was in regard to Steve-O’s. Saying that Latvians, Portuguese etc. should be welcome to cheap local-market properties. I hole heartily disagree with this, and think the local-market properties should be for local people only. I know many who have worked hard in this island to finally get on to the property ladder, if there wasn’t such demand from foreign folk moving over here, I think the prices would come down.

Steve-O
“Steve-O | April 26, 2010 at 5:57 pm
GG

Every time you post, you prove how little you know.

Have you seen the accomodation that these workers live in??

They dont all live 1 girl per 4 bedroomed house you know!!

They are in old hotels 2-5 a room, shared bathrooms between about 15 of them, conditions I doubt that you would put up with. However they are perfectly happy with this, because they are performing a service which is beneath most guerns, for a 9 month period, and going home with what is a lot of money in their own country.

How is this bad for either economy??

But you dont want them here do you??

I’d love to know where you would expect to get workers for the growing, hospitality and building industries without importing staff. Where is this mythical pot of talented yet unemployed local workers who would do any job??

Doesnt exist..”

I have no problem with foreign folk over here, as long as it’s needed. Which I think some of the time it’s not. It’s not good for our economy at all, I think they send most of their money off island back “home” as it were. If they didn’t like living in this accomodation they wouldn’t be here, where else are we meant to put them? New housing for should be for locals first.

And yes, this is very much off topic, this is about Mr Jenson Button purchasing a property over here, he’s not Portuguese or Latvian now, is he?

O btw, I love how you all get moody by my posts, it’s only a little laugh eh!

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51

Jo Benford

anyone who has had the pleasure of reading GG’s disgusting posts will know by now exactly what kind of person he/she is.
Let’s all stop giving them the satisfaction of acknowledging her posts and replying :)

1 final thing to you GG – you’re very lucky you can get away with writing these despicable comments day after day by hiding behind the fact your ‘anonymous’. If only we could reveal your true identity i’m sure you’d get more than letters.

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53

Steve-O

GG

You can happily stick with your angry xenophobic dogma for all I care, with an attiitude like yours its not like you’ll ever be in a position to do anything about it.

And also, I never said anything about welcoming these people to local market housing, I merely detailed the conditions that they do live in as not being palatable to a local person.

It really is about time that you started reading what other people post if you actually plan on debating with them because you keep repeating the same old rubbish, and then change your story when it suits.

Oh and with regards to getting moody by your posts, dont flatter yourself, your brand of pitiful rantings barely registers, I actually enjoy the oppurtuinity to show you up for what you are.

Now run along and tell someone to “get back where they came from and stop stealing our jobs and men”

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55

Kate

GG. Here’s a little dictionary definition for you:

rac·ism   /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled[rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA
–noun
1.a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2.a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3.hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

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57

simon

GG
I think you need to consider your posting style. Your entitled to your views however abhorant anyone else finds them,but you then seem to dismiss anyone elses view point.

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59

Scarlett

Hello! I was on another thread debating a similar issue, and just thought I’d stick my head round the door, as there was so much shouting going on in here!

Seems there’s a lot of emotive language been used and passions raised, so, what the heck, here we go…

Ref: Immigration vs. racism

Now, I don’t know where GG’s coming from, and yes, I know, some people are pure racist (which is totally ignorant *rse), however…

as someone so eloquently said, ‘immigration should not be made into an issue about racism. There are those…who seem to think it ok to twist every issue in this direction, some appearing racist, some clearly not’.

In the US, the ‘race card’ is so often played that the country has become paranoid about appearing to be racist, and I am sure some employers quake in their boots at the thought of turning down an african american for a job on the basis they’ll find themselves the victim of a law suit.

– all that said, there is absolutely no doubt that some racism still exists.

Here in Guernsey, unfortunately, we appear to be going down a similar path, where EVERYONE who doesn’t blithely accept that ANYONE can be imported into the island to work from ANYWHERE, for whatever reason, is a small minded ‘racist’.

Is that a truly fair statement?

So, the question is, do you think we should adopt the UK’s open door immigration policy, which is pretty much what Jersey did?

My second question would then be, quite simply, how do you think that’s working out for them? Have a quick flick onto the This is Jersey website or the BBC News website then tell me, honestly, how much ‘better off’ they are than us?

Is all the crime and a struggling economy to be blamed on immigrants? NO! Absolutely not, but…

perhaps the reason so many local people complain about imports (some more diplomatically than others-!) is because they have a point.

Perhaps they don’t, to paraphrase a Native American Chief that Dave Jones quoted the other day, want to become strangers in their own land.

Perhaps they realise that we’re a tiny landmass with limited resources, and that if we continue to cram people in here, soon it won’t be the sort of place we want to live in any more…trust me, I could give you a very long list of the Jersey people who have emigrated for that reason.

Perhaps they DO read the news, and they don’t want their – our – beloved Guernsey turning into another Little Britain, and think it should retain what’s left of it’s identity.

Perhaps they have become tired of the personal experiences they’ve had of people being imported for entirely non essential reasons (like builders and decorators on 5 year licences, we haven’t got enough of those, ay…;0)? and object to the additional pressure this puts on our over burdened infrastructure that we pay for, and perhaps it’s this consistent flaunting of the laws that the rest of us have to abide by that gets right up their – our – collective noses…

perhaps GG is a screaming racist, or perhaps s/he isn’t?

GG-?

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61

D

Kate
Racism has nothing to do with GG’s comments. It seems that people cannot accept the fact that we are not the UK. We have a finite land mass to use/abuse.Overcrowding is causing most if not all of our social problems. The divide between the have’s and the have not’s is widening daily. Perhaps you have to have lived here, and be a loyal local, who loves their island of birth and their local history to appreciate this.

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63

GG

Sorry if you thought that was racist, Kate. All I meant was surely they’d be better off, with the open door policy. As they have to live in cramped conditions here. Sorry if it came across as racist.

Well said Scarlett, way better than I have come across!

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65

D

Steve-O
The growing industry never relied on so many people being imported for 9 months, and it was a flourishing industry. So what if it declines for a while, Im sure with the correct wages we would get many people back to these industries. People have become too greedy, wanting vast fortunes, employing underpaid workers, yes exploitation. As for the catering industry, well if a few establishments folded, we would not suffer. The trouble is , we have too many very wealthy people willing to spend lots of money in unnecessary ways. A return to a more even society, employing people and giving them a fair wage would be far socially acceptable. How can a resident be expected to work for£2.50 an hour, when there are guest workers willing to accept that,as to them this is not inreasonable.

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67

Scarlett

no worries, GG, I know everyone here loves our island, so it’s bound to get a bit passionate-! x ;0)

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69

Steve-O

D

Thats the whole point though isnt it.

If we stop bringing the workers over then the industry as you rightly say will go into decline.

Unfortunately it will be a terminal one, as it only takes a few years for the expertise to be completely lost and little billy wants to work in a nice air conditioned office, not a packing shed.

Then we lose another of our local traditions because of our stubborness to accept the workers to keep it going and the island takes another step towards being solely a financial centre with no character, which is an ever decreasing circle.

JJ

No-one is saying that locals should give up housing, these workers do not live in normal 2up 2 down accomodation.

Good to see that you just like your namesake have also completely missed the point.

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71

JJ

Steve-o, my friend, it seems that is exactly what you ARE saying. If GG is right, which I suspect he is, you are saying that local market properties should be available for non-locals, which would then turn the local/open market system in to a farce.

Ray- The heat was lovely, I sat out in my garden with an ice-cold beer!

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