Population policy passes after heavy criticism

Friday 02 May 2014

A controversial two-year population policy proposing a maximum of 325 newcomers per year has been approved despite claims that ministers know that there is no way that they can keep to it.

Members voted by 25 votes to 20 to approve the two-year policy, which Chief Minister Ian Gorst had described as a "middle ground" approach. But he faced heavy criticism from both left and right, and even from within his own Council of Ministers. Many speakers pointed out that the same target has been in place since 2009 but has been completely ignored - average total immigration (the number of people coming in, minus the number leaving) has been 575 per year since then.

Chief Minister Ian Gorst began the debate yesterday, and the first amendment by Deputy Geoff Southern to drop the limit to 215 was beaten by 35 votes to 12 – but not before Members had started laying into the Council of Ministers.

The head of the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Steve Luce, said that the debate was just a paper exercise.

“This is hypocrisy. We have no intention of keeping to these numbers,” he said.

And Deputy Roy Le Hérissier called on ministers to drop the pretence and pull the debate.

He said: “It’s not a policy, but a series of rather vague aspirational statements. I do implore [ministers] to withdraw this proposition because it does not even meet the test of what is a policy, let alone a good policy.”

But Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean said that the policy was an important message to attract investors and businesses that would create much-needed jobs and economic diversification - he said attracting investors and skilled people was crucial to the Island's economic prospects.

He said: “We are seeing from an inward investment perspective, we are fighting against other jurisdictions from around the world that are putting together compelling incentive packages.

“There was recently an advertisement in Toronto which simply said “Where are you going to take your next big idea?” and it listed what Toronto was offering: discounted grade A office space, relocation costs, reduced staff costs, tax breaks, a whole list of incentives. It’s effectively a loss leader for these jurisdictions because they realise these entrepreneurs, these wealth creators, drive business.”