Jersey Studies Incorporation Of Telecoms

Tax-news.com

10 January 2000

The Jersey States has set up a small working group to study the full implications for the Island of the proposed incorporation of both Jersey Telecoms and Postal (ie as a precursor of privatisation or at least commercialisation). The working group will be chaired by Policy & Resource Chief Executive John Mills and will look at the draft legislation and proposed regulations that have already been prepared for the incorporations, as well as how the interests of the States of Jersey and the people and businesses of Jersey can best be safeguarded and promoted.

The working party will not include representatives from either Telecoms or Postal in order to maintain its independence. "We will, of course, be talking with the two departments," said Mr Mills, "but if we are to properly examine how incorporation will affect the whole of the Island's economy it is best that we retain complete independence."

Jersey Telecoms executive director Bob Lawrence was pleased with the announcement of the formation of the working group. "They will be reviewing the good work we have done and will either give it the green light or suggest amendments. We are all very close to the situation and it is entirely right that Finance and Economics and Policy and Resources satisfy themselves independently that everything is in order'," Mr Lawrence said.

The working group plans to report back to the States at the end of January with an outline of the issues that it plans to address and then proceed to research them as quickly as possible.

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