I would like to make a small but important point which is consistently overlooked in narratives of Jersey’s history (On the rocks, The long read, 8 December). When the author says “Jersey was British enough to have the pound but not British enough to pay taxes”, he ignores the fact that for centuries the islanders committed themselves to voluntary service to make their island’s institutions run. Because people gave time, there was less need to give money, and with only a very small civil service to be paid for, there was little need for a high tax rate on the island’s population.
This is the background to Jersey’s low-tax economy and the tradition of voluntary service continues to some extent today. Indeed, one of the positive stories in recent years is the success of the island’s honorary police: an unpaid, non-uniformed and volunteer force which has garnered interest in the UK for its application of restorative justice and close community relations. Whatever the economic destiny of the island’s finance industry might be, I would maintain that its presence does not betoken a moral bankruptcy.
Rory Hill
Oxford
• As someone born and brought up in Jersey, I found Oliver Bullough’s analysis a thought-provoking and, at times, discomforting read. However, while the “black hole” in government expenditure is undoubtedly a serious issue that needs dealing with, and, sadly living standards appear to have fallen in recent years, Jersey is still an incredibly prosperous place. Few places elsewhere in the world would be able to boast of no net government debt – let alone having a sizeable net cash surplus; an unemployment rate of 4.6% and a funded pension plan to deal with an ageing population. Challenges ahead? For sure. But certainly not “heading for bankruptcy”.
Alexander Cornish
London
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