Author: Elise Meerpoel

Since 2014, Jersey has been working in partnership with the Departmental Council of La Manche to share La Manche stand at the Agricultural Show in Paris (SIA).

The objective of Jersey presence is to promote Jersey’s agricultural industry and products at a key event in France’s agricultural calendar that welcomes around 700,000 visitors/year as well as to endorse the island as a holiday destination. The event is an opportunity to build up contacts and tourists database and to demonstrate the Island’s close links with Normandy and providing a platform for further mutually beneficial engagement.

This year, we were concentrating on the Big 4 – Jersey Lobster, Jersey Oyster, Jersey Royals and Jersey Dairy – a special Genuine Jersey brochure in French focusses on these and was issued and distributed on the stand as well as a “win a holiday” competition put together by Visit Jersey.

This successful experience allows the island to promote itself in France at so many levels thanks to the opportunity provided by the Department of La Manche.

 

A team from the University of Caen will come to Jersey on 9 February to present to the parents and pupils of high school the possibility of high studies in Caen, an alternative to the British universities and a door open on France. An initiative strongly supported by the Minister of Education of Jersey. More information here.

A Channel delegation delegation came to Caen on 8 November to meet with the management and teachers of the ICEP CFA. After a visit of the site to better understand the disciplines taught, discussions were held on the possible ways of cooperation in the apprenticeship, with a focus on the catering. A visit deemed very interesting, facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce of Caen, and in the presence of the Normandy Region, which should lead to a concrete exchange project in 2018.

The Préfet Maritime of the North and Channel Sea (based in Cherbourg) visited the Channel Islands on 17 and 18 October 2016. The objective was to develop regular and sustainable contacts with the emergency services of the Channel Islands and cooperate better on safety operations and exercises at sea. Admiral Ausseur was hosted by the Harbourmasters of Jersey and Guernsey. He also met with the Ministers for External Affairs and Home Affairs Ministers of each island.

 

The President of the Normandy Region, Hervé Morin, and the President of La Manche, Philippe Bas, made an official visit to the Channel Islands on 15 and 16 September 2016.

On 15 September, they spent the day in Guernsey, where they met with the Bailiff, the Chief Minister and members of the business community. The following day, the delegation (including representatives of the States of Guernsey) visited Jersey to attend an annual summit. The summit explored opportunities for partnership between the four jurisdictions (Jersey, Guernsey, La Manche and the Normandy Region), as agreed in the cooperation agreement that was signed in Normandy last year.

The delegation was welcomed to Jersey by the Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, and they were also joined by the Prefect of La Manche, Mr. Jacques Witkowski, who represented the French State at the summit. Representative of the Chief Pleas of Sark, associate member of the agreement, also attended.

Since the inaugural summit in Mont Saint Michel last year, there have been elections in Normandy and Guernsey. This year’s summit will therefore serve as a formal welcome to the President of Normandy, Hervé Morin, the President of La Manche, Philippe Bas, and Guernsey’s Chief Minister, Deputy Gavin St Pier.

An action plan was also presented, proposing joint projects in higher education, academic exchanges, culture, environment (including marine renewable energy), tourism and other areas of the economy.

A signing ceremony to renew the cooperation agreement between the four parties and extend it to a larger scale in Normandy concluded the meeting.

The French Government announced in 2012 that it had given permission for the development of a wind farm off the coast of St Brieuc, Brittany. The development will take place in French waters, however turbines would be constructed up to the outer limit of Jersey waters to the south of the Island.

A formal public enquiry, initiated by the French government, started in France on 4 August to explore the project more fully. Anyone can make a submission to the enquiry.

Developers, Ailes Marines, presented their plans at a public meeting at Fort Regent on 6 September and have set up an exhibition at Fort Regent from 18 August until 29 September.

As part of the consultation, public enquiry commissioners came to Jersey on September 7, to record the views of Islanders and the Government.

People could also give their views to the public enquiry by recording comments on a paper register held at Fort Regent reception for the duration of the public enquiry. An online version was also made available for comments and questions until 29 September.

On 3rd September, the Bailiff of Jersey unveiled a stone in Guillemont which commemorates the men of the Jersey Contingent, Royal Irish Rifles, who fought and died there in September 1916 and all from Jersey who served in the Great War. Their hearts, like the heart of this stone, lie in Jersey.

The Government of Jersey and the Breton department of Ille-et-Vilaine held their annual summit in Jersey on 9 June 2016.

Since they signed a cooperation agreement in 2008, which was renewed in 2014, Ille-et-Vilaine and the Government of Jersey have met annually to explore opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, and the President of the Conseil Départemental of Ille-et-Vilaine, Jean-Luc Chenut, jointly chaired the summit. Deputy Al Brouard, representing the States of Guernsey, also attended the summit as an observer, reflecting Guernsey’s increasing engagement with Ille et Vilaine.

Among the subjects discussed at the summit were: trade opportunities; construction; educational programmes; cultural and sports exchanges; and environmental issues.

 

The French Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Mrs Sylvie Bermann visited Jersey on 19 and 20 May.

During her visit, the Ambassador met the Bailiff, Mr William Bailhache, the Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, and the Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, as well as other Ministers. She stayed at Government House as the guest of the Lieutenant Governor, General Sir John McColl.

The itinerary for the visit included the laying of a wreath at St Thomas’ Church in memory of French residents of Jersey who died during World War I, a reception for French nationals at St Helier Town Hall, and the presentation of the Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur to Jersey D-Day veterans at the Old Library in the States Building. The Ambassador also visited Mont Orgueil, as well as attending meetings at the Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche and the Alliance Française de Jersey.

During her stay, the Ambassador also met business and finance industry representatives, and was the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by the Bailiff. ​

 

On Friday 15 April, the President of the Departmental Council of La Manche Philippe Bas made his first official visit to Alderney and was welcomed by its President Stuart Trought. On the program of the day, besides the discovery of the island, thematic meetings and visits were held around the development of relations between Alderney and La Manche, improved maritime links with the continent, and renewable énergies.