Friday 13th December 2024
The Jersey Chamber Weekly Update
Dear Subscriber,
Turkey or Goose?
To be honest I've always had turkey, with one disastrous exception when Dad brought home a pheasant. It still had the feathers on it, and after some not so pleasant plucking, we enjoyed this meagre bird with the added bonus of the odd bit of complementary lead shot. It was not a family feast we looked to repeat.
Whilst the focus for many will be the annual scrum at the local supermarket, the festive grip has retail running at full tilt, which is good to see. Many a business will be staggering its way through the stepping stones of Christmas parties, wearing seasonal jumpers and working out if anyone will do much more than eat the sweets and mince pies that everyone insists on bringing in. Tempting as it is to pick over the bones of 2024, and frankly there is much to pick at, the Chamber focus is very much on getting our ducks in a row for 2025. (Did you see what I did there…).
And knowing that 2025 will bring change – just as every year does, there are some certainties we need to set out early.
There will be new members joining Chamber and growing the organisation, and only this month we have seen another group of five or six businesses understand the importance of Chamber in helping them move forward and better engage to make things more business friendly. The trouble is, when a business is doing what it does best, it often doesn't get a chance to raise its head and scan the horizon.
From productivity to planning and population to permits there is much to do down the line and that takes more effort than just hoping for a decent gift in a Christmas cracker. Chamber is already working in readiness for these and many other areas on behalf of our members.
Another certainty is the Chamber Lunch programme, and again you can expect more busy events that will provide essential attendance, and beg the question, 'surely you should have been there?'.
A quick gander at the line up for the first half of the year and it is already looking very strong.
January sees the CEO of the Govt of Jersey, grappling with the biggest policy call of all…
February brings the Minister responsible for Planning to discuss how we improve this process for everyone.
March has the Head of Channel & Baltic ferry operations for DFDS, ahead of their launch in the island.
The development of the Waterfront and Fort Regent are under the microscope for April with the CEO of the JDC on stage.
Oh, then in May, one year out from an election, the Chief Minister returns as our speaker. I expect tickets to be gobbled up quickly.
That's enough information and puns for one newsletter, besides you've some shopping to do – make it local if you can.
Have a wonderful weekend.
