By Terry Le Main
HELLO everyone. I am pleased to be back sharing my thoughts with you on many of the issues affecting our Island and people’s daily living and lives.
Gosh, haven’t the years flown by? For some of us now, those who are a little elderly, it seems that each week is a bonus that just flies by…
As a 1930s baby, I well remember reaching adulthood and thinking that someone of 50-ish years was an old person, and yet here I am, still living the life, and still passionate about Jersey: its 800-year-old customs and traditions, and our people, whoever they are, from those who were born here or those who have come from the UK or elsewhere and made Jersey their home. It all contributes to such a great, safe and diverse community.
I cannot wait to get up every morning so I can enjoy the day ahead and assist anyone who may need help and advice. In fact, my days are filled with much love and satisfaction from my family and many friends, so, yes, I lead a very fruitful and satisfying life.
Of course, getting old doesn’t always bring too many positives but – with the help and assistance of our wonderful hospital, doctors, nurses, medics and staff – we are able to manage the bits falling off…
At long last, we have a champion in Deputy Tom Binet, who is a hugely successful businessman who started with nothing but succeeded through hard work and a will to succeed. And he has grasped the mantle with our new-hospital project.
I am still involved with the Jersey Arthritis Association Support Group and see the difficulties those less fortunate than me have with their pain and their often depressive loneliness and financial worries.
We are lucky to have Ben Shenton [chair of Age Concern] and his charity fighting and providing support for the elderly and being unafraid to speak out.
This January is a testing time for many in this affluent, yet divided, Island, with both rich and poor, and we see the continued increase in daily living costs, some way above inflation, and utilities.
And then there’s the States with their unsustainable and overstaffed bureaucratic public-sector workforce. To me, they don’t seem to want to cut back, or be capable of cutting back, in order to make savings. They should get rid of much of the ridiculous unwanted business red tape that is holding back business growth and profitability.
And dare I mention the useless and ineffective Planning Department? Or our capital town – St Helier – which is now on its knees and in desperate need of new vision and leadership before it finally collapses? It seems to many that the continued excessive salaries and bonuses being paid to some of the directors/managers of States arm’s-length organisations are grossly offensive to the majority of Jersey people.
Yes, many of us dislike this “zero-ten” tax whereby most trading companies pay no Jersey tax on their profits. Subsequently, and conveniently, profits leave the Island and we, the Jersey taxpayers, pay the price with more taxation on services, civil service red tape and so on. This particularly affects the retired and working middle classes. It is they who are carrying this unfair tax burden, which is imposed on their daily living needs.
And, of course, let’s not forget the ignored 5,000-plus who signed an online petition on the double-taxing of our States contributory pensions.
If it had been an Island referendum, there is no doubt this petition would have attracted thousands more signatories, yet our caring States Members did not do the honourable thing.
They should have made public which Members voted for what so we could decide who to support in next year’s general election.
The same goes for GST. Yes, I supported the introduction of GST on the understanding that it would not be cast in stone forever. We were promised this would not be the case.
Well, it’s now time for the electorate to decide whether GST is removed or retained on food, children’s clothes and other such essentials.
Sadly, our rulers continue to totally ignore the electorate’s views and concerns, and they do not seem to grasp that many are living a miserable existence.
Many years ago, I was on the Health Committee under the presidency of Constable Jack Roche and was given the role of being “politically in charge, on behalf of the committee, of the elderly services”.
It was a most satisfying position. I said it then, and I’ll repeat it now: with an increasing ageing population, Jersey will see its current “retired population” double in the next 12 to 15 years. And that brings with it huge problems because it is estimated by some that we will need some 4,000 carers for the elderly and those with special needs.
There is an urgent need for political leadership and responsibility now because currently no one has a clue how to deal with this explosion of retirees in a few years’ time. A political champion of the elderly needs to be put in place now.
Uncle Terry.
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Terry Le Main is a former States Member, who is passionate about the Island.