Insights from our President, Adam Budworth, November 2024

At the time of writing, we are still anticipating the forthcoming budget and how it might impact on the UK and closer to home. We are also wondering who will occupy the most powerful seat in the US. By the time you read this article, much of the uncertainty will have ended however we will be discussing and planning what next steps will be necessary to ensure economic and political stability.

We recently learned the distressing news that yet another building contractor has ceased trading, Chamber issued a strongly worded statement, in which we once again called upon Government, as the largest construction client in the island, to get projects ‘spade-ready. There is a time to push capital projects to the forefront and for the last 18 months we have been saying that the time is now. Collectively, this presents a serious impact on the capacity of the local construction industry, and the disruption to the supply-chain should not be underestimated, in what is the islands fourth largest sector.

Since the announcement from Camerons in February 2023, the Government have announced plans to raise the Minimum Wage to the Jersey Living Wage by 2026 and have removed the laws permitting a reduction in the Minimum Wage for apprentices and school-leavers. On these last two points Chamber continues to lead the requests to Government to allow a student and apprentice rate as part of the living wage discussions.

The Government's recently announced Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, whilst absolutely a step in the right direction and very welcomed, is but only a promise to do something... we still aren't seeing many spades in the ground and projects out to tender for the remaining contractors in the local construction industry.

Jersey Chamber call on the Government to support the local industry, and announce a series of packages that will help 'Get Jersey Building' again.

In a much more positive vein we were delighted to host, on behalf of Government, the Ambassador of the Philippines His Excellency Teodoro Locsin Jr. at a specially organised Roundtable Event last month.I was honored to host the Round Table which was attended by Chamber committee leads and senior representatives of businesses, together with other organisations/associations on the island thus providing a broad cross section of the Jersey Economy.   Also in attendance was the Minister for Sustainable Development, Kirsten Morel, who will be working with Chamber to collect feedback and ideas from the Round Table and work with the Embassy in moving solutions forward.

Collaboration between our overseas colleagues is vital in raising the profile of our Island.