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-----Original Message-----
From: John Romeril
Sent: 28 August 2006 09:35
To: Scrutiny
Subject: Scrutiny Office (Sale of Jersey Telecom)
I am totally against the sale of Jersey Telecom.
I see Jersey telecom as a public service that should remain owned by the people of Jersey.
In this democratic society, the general public don't want to sell off J.T. and those Senators voted in by the public, must listen to the public and don't have the right to sell it.
Jobs
States jobs have been known as secure jobs. Giving work to the community, money that stays with in the community. A self supporting framework for hundreds of people.
Every Jersey Telecom worker has a will to see that the islanders have the very best service possible and go to great personal pain's, to help Islanders and ensure that they are satisfied.
We must protect our own workers.
Even if there is some reduction in income due to competition, a company that can self-support hundreds of Islander workers is invaluable. Workers who put that money straight back into the Island community.
In the States discussion paper, it says that this should not be a debate about selling the family jewels, but this is most definitely what we should all be thinking about.
JT has made and continues to make, millions and millions for the Island. It doesn't matter how much money the States can sell the company for, once it's sold, that's the end of it. One big States project and the money is gone. And how many of those are in the pipe line.
Consequences:
Businesses: The Finance Industry. JT provides a telecommunications infrastructure for the Island, second to none. And I don't mean just within the Island. One of the main conditions a finance company considers, when trading within the Island, is telecommunications. Can it trade electronically with anywhere in the world, all day, every day, no excuses. We will not have a finance industry, if they lose confidence, in the Islands ability to maintain a first class, world wide access network.
Local people: At present JT is a public service. Many costs and maintenance to ordinary people are covered by the company, as a public service should be. If the full cost of dealing with faults was passed on to the public, those on low incomes, pensioners, will be frightened to report a fault. Just ask family and friends in the UK, what they think about having their telecom services, spread across different telecom companies. Customers are passed backward and forwards between operators, each refusing to accept responsibility for the fault and each time billing for callouts.
Regulator
If issuing Telecoms licenses was supposed to encourage price reduction, due to completion. Do bear in mind that the States, (the sole owner of JT) could have reduced the cost of charges for services, at anytime. The net result would be reduce investment into the network and reduced income into the states coffers. Taxes will have to rise to cover the loss of income. You won't get it from the new corporation that would take over JT, as corporate tax is being abolished. That money will go straight out of the Island.
John Romeril