The 2,000 or so Islanders who protested against the proposed development of six office blocks on the site of the Esplanade created a ‘ring of defiance’ around the car park as part of the growing calls for the work to be stopped.
By yesterday, an official petition to stop the development had been signed by over 1,000 people since being launched on Thursday afternoon. Many more used the protest as an opportunity to officially register their concerns.
The proposed Jersey International Finance Centre has prompted an increasingly heated debate.
Last week, Swiss bank UBS signed up as the first tenants of the development, taking around 16,000 sq ft of office space.
The States-owned Jersey Development Company say that this is enough for work to begin on the site.
However, this rallied those opposed to the development to raise concerns about the States being involved in the provision of office blocks and argue that the development will pose significant risk to taxpayers.
Treasury Minister Alan Maclean has said that no taxpayers money is being used to fund the development.
This afternoon’s protest, organised by former States Deputy Sean Power – a vocal critic of the proposed finance centre – prompted cries of ‘no, no, no’ to ring out from the Esplanade with protesters of all ages waving signs with the same message.
A proposition lodged by St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier calling for a referendum on the JIFC is due to be debated on Tuesday 16 June.
