While putting a question to Senator Bailhache in the States, Deputy Sam Mézec described the country as a ‘nasty human-rights-abusing dictatorship’ and asked what policies were in place for dealing with such territories.
However, Sir Philip disagreed with Deputy Mézec and argued that change was more likely to be effected by working with countries with poor human-rights records rather than ignoring them.
States Members have previously embarked on a number of diplomatic visits to the Arab state and a number of members of the country’s government have been invited to visit the Island.
In 2016, Sir Philip and John Harris, director of the Jersey Financial Services Commission, visited the UAE to follow up the ratification of a tax avoidance treaty between the two territories.
Responding to Deputy Mézec’s question, Sir Philip said: ‘I do not share the view of the Deputy in his characterisation of the United Arab Emirates, very far from it.
‘That is, in engaging with countries which have a poor or a relatively poor human-rights record is a better way of achieving change than simply ignoring them and having no truck with them.’
