Jersey’s shared world-wide problems – continued.

If your brain hurts from trying to understand PACE and whether Syvret was legally turned over or not by the villainous remnants of the Jersey Police ( that is those that are not suspended or recently retired) – then why not have a look into some of the world-wide links on this site?

For instance, consider how according to Gibraltar News by Vox that the Moroccan workers are still being treated as 2nd class citizens and how, once again the scandal has been woken up because the UK Guardian newspaper ran a recent exposé article. And remember too that about 20 years ago the UK based Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants visited Gibraltar, with the support of the T & G Union and published a damning report on the Moroccans plight then. Evidently, things have not improved but remember also that the JCWI visited Jersey as well soon afterwards and published another damning report on the exploited 10,000 workers in Jersey without housing qualifications or jobs security. Have things improved? Have another look at the interviews with Freddie Cohen on voiceforjersey and consider whether portakabins are the acceptable side of our Tax Haven economy in 2009? Even Minister Freddie expressed his disgust!

OR have a look at the Netherlands Antilles chapter on Caribbean Net News and note that these islands may soon be breaking away from Holland and their oh so familiar sounding dependency relationship. These islands - notably Curacao, St Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius were historically smuggling and piracy centres in the 18th century and many Channel Islands merchants traded with them then in all sorts of illegal and quasi-illegal activities. Now of course they are tax havens and still have enough involvement in Drug Smuggling to warrant a substantial USA military presence and of course, there are many links with the oh so respectable Jersey finance business aka Tax Haven.
The OECD has awarded the Antilles only a “grey” award on the latest league table of respectability so we can suppose that no more business will be transacted from Jersey (!) but on May 15th the islanders will decide whether to declare independence or not. We really should watch with interest because the Channel Islands may well be heading for a similar constitutional confrontation soon.

AND have a look at Trinidad & Tobago too on the Caribbean Net News site because it is just the latest among many territories in the region trying to deal with huge financial debts incurred through failed private business activities. Billions have gone missing, assets are illusionary and many thousands of ordinary people will be reduced to poverty for many years to come……

It can all happen here in the Channel Islands.

Submitted by Thomas Wellard.