FREDDIE COHEN WILL BE STANDING IN THE SENATORIAL ELECTIONS

DESPITE THE ANNOUNCEMENT made by him, some time ago, that Senator Cohen would not be standing in the October Senatorial elections I have it on very good authority that he will be putting himself forward after all. Why? Because he really is enjoying tripping around the world at the taxpayers expense promoting Jersey and "helping inform governments that we are really good guys and we don't encourage tax avoiders to our shores and we keep to the rules".
 
 Expect to read shortly that a deputation of supporters called on him at his palatial home in St. John and begged him to stand again and he received so many letters and e mails imploring him to face another election he felt duty bound to heed their wishes.
 
 So what are these trips of his all about? Well, a delegation has been to India to sign a tax information agreement which could have been signed in London. The trouble is India, which is cracking down on tax avoidance by its wealthy companies and individuals, didn't think the tax information exchange agreement was worth the paper it was written on and wanted to toughen it up. So they refused to sign it.

 Egg on face all round.

 Then we had the trip to Israel. What came of that?. Well, Freddie was impressed with an electric car they build there and plans to introduce it to Jersey. Benefit to the island? Nil. But Freddie "made some important contacts". To do what.? Probably to use Jersey to funnel money out of Israel to avoid paying tax in their own country.

 And then we had the big one to China with the Chief Minister. Result- a school exchange program and the possibility of selling some bull semen to them That could have been done by our own cattlemen using the inter-net.

 Oh, and that agreement with the Chinese telecoms company. Well that was negotiated by Jersey Telecom months before and all the Chief Minister had to do was sign it there.(which could have been done by mail)

 Earlier this month our globe-trotting Freddie was in Malta accompanied by his mate, Senator Ozouf. Promoting what? Twinning with a Jersey school. Big deal !. Why not Tristan de Cuna or Norfolk Island or Fiji.

 And , of course, I've forgotten that memorable trip to Abu Dhabi where their tourism Minister hinted that they might put a float in the Battle of Flowers. Now that was worth the trip.

 Then we had the spin-masters at Jersey Finance putting as much gloss on these visits as possible. They have two reasons for doing this. The first is that they need to convince many of their members that these trips are worthwhile and, more importantly they need to convince the States of Jersey and the tax payer that the money is being well-spent.

 So they trot out the story that there has been an increase in funds flowing into Jersey as a result of these visits. The problem with that is that there is no way of checking the truth of that. And having read the stuff put out by Jersey Finance over the years I frankly wouldn't believe a word ot it.

 So how much has all this tripping around the world by Freddie, Ozouf and all the public servants they take on these trips, cost the taxpayer. Deputy Mike Higgins tried to find out by asking a question in the States. The answer was that it came our of the Chief Ministers budget. Yes, but how much was it, persisted the Deputy. Not going to tell you was the answer. Which is typical when a States member is trying to find out how much something costs.

 My estimated is that we have spent over £200,000 so far now on Freddie's little trips.

 No wonder he wants to keep doing it for another four years. So remember you heard it first here-


 FREDDIE WILL BE BACK..,.....