Ministers off to Paris

Thursday 13 February 2014

Jersey’s politicians are working on trade links with France to drum up business and support investment.

Yesterday “Foreign Minister” Philip Bailhache and St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft were in Paris for talks with a French select committee about the relationship between Jersey and France, and it has been announced that a team from the Island will attend the Parish International Agricultural Show later this month.

The show is one of the biggest agricultural shows in the world – last year it attracted almost 700,000 people, including the French president Francois Hollande.

The invitation to Senator Bailhache and Mr Crowcroft came from Guénhaël Huet, a French politician who chairs the Groupe d’Études des Îles Anglo-Normandes – the equivalent of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Channel Islands Group. Mr Huet is the mayor of Avranches, a town twinned with St Helier.

“For me, it’s a valuable opportunity to explain the mutually beneficial relationship that Jersey has with France,” said Mr Crowcroft before the trip, adding that he planned to address the committee in French.

Meanwhile, it has been announced Senator Bailhache will be back in Paris for the “Salon International de l’Agriculture”, which takes place from 22 February to 2 March, along with Assistant Economic Development Minister Carolyn Labey. They will be joined by representatives from Albert Bartlett, Jersey Royal Potatoes, La Mare Wine Estate, Jersey Dairy, La Robeline Cider and Blue Islands.

Deputy Labey said: “We are looking forward to returning to the Salon to build on the strong political, business, tourism and media relationships we developed last year.

“Our position as a partner with La Manche is significant and indicates the strength of our relationship with the General Council of La Manche that they have invited us to be a part of their stand.”