The Dean of Jersey is a member of the States (in my view he should not be) with the right to speak but not vote He is there in that capacity following the report by the Committee of the Privy Council on the Proposed Reforms in the Channel Islands of 1947.It was this report that led to the removal of the 12 rectors and the introduction of 12 Senators. On the role of the Dean, the report said this: “The retention of the Dean in the States with a voice but no vote does, to some extent, favour the Church of England over other religious denominations; but we agree that the representations of matters spiritual in the Assembly is to be vested in one, the Dean is the most suitable person”.
His role in this should - and is presumed to - include matters of morality. He is quite happy to speak about gambling, shops opening on Sunday and other such matters. But he remains totally silent on tax avoidance, the islands main business.
Last week the Methodist Church at their national conference made its position very clear by loudly condemning tax avoidance as an immoral activity.
I have written a letter to the Dean of Jersey calling on him to actively oppose the practise on which the Jersey Finance Industry is based. I reproduce this letter, which is self explanatory.
It’s time the Dean stood up and did his job. He has written back and we have arranged to meet in the next fortnight to discuss the matter. Watch this space.
I Osborne Court St. Aubins Road,First Tower St. Helier, Jersey
July 11,2011
Dear Sir,
As you may be aware the Methodist annual Congress approved a motion declaring that “tax avoidance impoverishes the vulnerable and is morally unacceptable” For more details go to tedvibert.com.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dennis Healey, once said that the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is the thickness of a prison wall.
Anyone who believes that Jersey is not engaged in the tax avoidance has to be incredibly stupid not to understand what is going on under the guise of “the Jersey finance industry” or, if in authority, is being influenced by those in power in Jersey. I don’t think you are stupid, therefore I have to conclude that you have been totally influenced by the power of government in Jersey.
You sit in the States as a member for the sole purpose of giving moral guidance as the representative of all Jersey’s churches. Yet not once have you raised the question of the immorality of tax avoidance. In my view that is a disgrace. You would be well aware of the statement “evil flourishes when good men do nothing”
May I ask when we can expect a definitive statement from you about the evils of tax avoidance industry?
Yours sincerely
Ted Vibert.
Remind me Ted, the acknowledged founder of the Jersey tax-dodg^D^D^D offshore finance industry in Jersey, Reg Jeune, is a local preacher in which church?
ReplyDeleteEx-Senator Frank Walker(misprint) was brought up as a member of which church in Aquila Road?
I rather think the Methodist Conference need to send some of their enforcers down here and do some housekeeping.
I must say I had never thought of that. But you are dead right. Its interesting that no high official from the Jersey Methodists has commented on that conference resolution or ever on the morality of tax evasion
ReplyDeleteOf course, the real architect of the tax evasion business was Cyril Le Marquand. Don't know what church he was from I'm afraid as I've never mixed religion with politics but its an interesting thought. Thank you for it...