From Gwen Tucker.
LAST year I wrote to the JEP about Deputy Huet wanting this Island to give up to £26 million to overseas aid. Now I am doing the same about her successor, Deputy Gorst.
For 40 years we have been giving aid to these poorer countries and we are just one of many countries which have given money, yet it seems they are still no better off. Please can Deputy Gorst tell me why?
As long as our own people are under-housed and live below the poverty line he should not be thinking about giving our money away.
We should look after our own first and then if there is anything left we can give it away with good heart.
If money is needed so badly he should ask all of our millionaires who live the good life in Jersey to give 50% of the interest they make on all their vast wealth to help these people. In a time with so much economic unrest we just have to look to home first.
Deputy Gorst must be realistic and stop asking for such unreasonable sums. The old maxim ‘charity begins at home’ should apply at this time. As we have given so much to overseas aid I am sure they will understand that you have to give to your own first.
The Island could put that £7.26 million towards housing, Social Security, heritage, hospital, transport and wage increases, to name but a few local needs.
