Jersey Budget Protest - Royal Square 15 December 2015

REFORM JERSEY organised a public demonstration in the Royal Square outside the States' Building to greet the government members as they arrived to discuss the Budget on 15 December.

The video that follows in three parts shows just some of the footage and amply shows the anger of the public towards this government which is applying an austerity policy and making widespread "cuts" to reduce costs.

Those on the lowest incomes are inevitably the most affected and pensioners are being especially targeted but the removal or curtailment of services as well as axing of jobs are all part of the package too.


With the approach of Christmas and the Royal Square being decorated accordingly the timing of this austerity Budget seems especially poignant the more so since this is the very historic heart of Jersey. Here the Government and administration buildings sit alongside the main church of the Island and are intermixed with Christian and Crown beliefs as integral parts of the political processes.

Thus the videos pick-up on signs and symbolism in and around the square which inevitably guide so much that goes on within the political forum and affect everybody in the Island.

Although some will claim that politics and "religion" are separate matters and it is s private matter whether an elected representative is a Christian or otherwise, the fact is that Christian prayers are said at the commencement of every States Assembly and oaths are routinely sworn by the Members of the States in the name of the "Sovereign" and of a Christian God.

A few Members choose to opt out of that process so far as they are able but when questions of morality, charity, generosity, care of the aged and such like arise it is necessary to understand something of the philosophical basis upon which decisions of government are made.

I suggest here that the Christian imposition amounts to hypocrisy - "humbug" - but I am not a Christian so have no difficulty in divorcing its involvement from my chosen political activities and I do not believe that it is appropriate for the States Assembly to operate as a "pseudo church" either.

Part One video above

Part Two video above

Part Three video above