- More than 1,000 people expected at protest against the Jersey International Finance Centre
- There have been allegations that the States were misled as to when building would begin
- Comment – Read what the JEP thinks below
- What questions would you like the JEP to ask the Ministers about this scheme? Post your questions below
ORGANISERS are expecting more than 1,000 people to take part in a protest against the Jersey International Finance Centre – amid allegations that the States were misled as to when building would begin.
Last week, it was revealed that Swiss investment Bank UBS had signed a deal to lease 16,500 sq ft of office space at the Esplanade development and that building work could soon start as a result.
Senator Philip Ozouf has come under criticism from former St Brelade Deputy Sean Power, as well as St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier, with suggestions that the Senator misled the States by saying that building would not begin until 200,000 sq ft of office space had been leased in response to a States question last year from Deputy John Le Fondré.
Treasury Minister Alan Maclean subsequently said that Senator Ozouf ‘made an error’.
And in another twist to the long-running saga, Deputy Tadier is expected to ask Senator Maclean an urgent oral question during tomorrow’s States sitting regarding whether any incentives have been offered to UBS for them to sign up to occupy one of the six proposed office blocks after describing the timing of the announcement as ‘convenient’.
The St Brelade Deputy, who has urged Islanders to contact States Members and express their views about the development, has already lodged a proposition calling for the Jersey International Finance Centre project to be stopped until the results of a Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel review are known.
He has also asked Members to agree to hold an Islandwide referendum on whether the project should be carried out at all. That proposition is due to be debated on Tuesday 16 June.
He said: ‘The timing of this new tenant being announced is very convenient.
‘It seems that the Council of Ministers have obviously been scrabbling around to find a tenant ahead of any States debate on the topic.
‘We need to look at whether there will be massive downsides to the Island by building this.
‘The difference between 200,000 sq ft and 16,000 is massive. I think there have been promises that have been broken and it is clear that the States have been misled.
‘The most important thing is for people to contact their States Members – perhaps then they will listen.
‘If Members are having to take time answering questions from people then that may make them think about it.’
Meanwhile, Mr Power has said that he expects at least 1,000 Islanders to take part in a human chain around the Esplanade car park to demonstrate their opposition to plans to build the centre on the site.
He said that support for the campaign against the centre had gathered pace, but added that any plans to stop it being built would need overwhelming public support.
‘I am hoping that people make an effort to support the protest,’ said Mr Power. ‘At the moment the Council of Ministers are not listening to the public and we need overwhelming support to change that.
‘How many governments are prepared to build office space for private wealth management companies? It does not happen.’
An online petition to stop the finance centre which was launched on Thursday has almost 900 signatures. Nearly 1,300 have joined a Facebook page opposing the development.
Click here to view the petition. [/breakout]
IN six days time, ministers will get an idea of how strong public feeling is about the Jersey International Finance Centre.
Islanders are being invited to join hands and make a human ring around the Esplanade car park in a show of strength.
Last week, it was revealed that the goal posts had moved when the Jersey Development Company announced that it would start building having secured a tenant, UBS, who will occupy 16,500 sq ft, or one quarter of the area of one of six buildings.
It had previously been stated by Senator Philip Ozouf that construction work would not start until contracts had been signed for 200,000 sq ft.
Much of the unease about the scheme stems from a deep-rooted concern that taxpayers should not shoulder the risk of a multi-million pound development.
The pre-build conditions set out by Senator Ozouf were sensible in the face of a challenging economic situation and allayed some concerns.
Last week’s U-turn has made the project look far more like a gamble Jersey cannot afford.
