The
report published last week by the Jersey States' task force
into the Edwards Report includes a number of recommendations that
will affect the island's offshore sector, including a new depositors'
protection scheme. The scheme will provide compensation to investors
in the event of a major collapse by a Jersey-based bank or finance
company, with the burden being spread across industry members.
In addition to the depositors'
protection scheme, the Task Force report also recommended:
- A financial ombudsman should be
established;
- The Jersey Financial Services
Commission should be free of Government control;
- A new financial crimes unit should
be established; and
- New bankruptcy laws should be
introduced to allow financially troubled companies to keep operating
by going into administration.
The Task Force report rejected
recommended changes to Jersey's company reporting requirements
and trust laws on the grounds that they are unnecessary.
Commenting on the Task Force report,
Jersey Senator Pierre Horsfall said "the Edwards Report has endorsed
the fact that Jersey is a major player on the international finance
stage where high quality business is independently regulated to
international standards. One year on Jersey has emerged from the
Edwards Report better placed than ever before to consolidated
our position as a leading international finance centre."
It is expected that Guernsey
will also announce its response to the Edwards Report by December.
The head of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission confirmed
that Guernsey's response is unlikely to be very different from
Jersey's, and that a deposit protection scheme and ombudsman are
also being looked into for Guernsey.