Jersey Decides on Payment Choice
Jul 26, 2024
Politicians in Jersey have convened a panel to investigate cash acceptance by businesses. Its findings will determine whether legislation is needed, however this could be pro-payment choice—requiring cash acceptance—or anti-choice, if the panel decides the island should go cashless.
The Jersey Evening Post reports that the Economic and International Affairs Panel has been tasked with exploring current consumer choice in terms of buying goods and services, assessing cash acceptance and understanding the payment needs of locals and tourists. The Panel Chair, Deputy Montfort Tadier, says the panel’s work recognises ‘how payment methods are changing in an increasingly digital and contactless world.’
We would welcome any views or experiences on the topic from members of the public and businesses and look forward to holding evidence-gathering sessions shortly… particularly those who may prefer to use cash and who have been refused, but also those who might like the Island to go completely cash-free.
The panel, established in June, is holding public hearings with ministers to gather information and ‘look at what choice customers and citizens in Jersey currently have—and should have—when it comes to buying goods and services and paying bills.’
While the panel is suggesting legislation could be either pro- or anti-cash, depending on its findings, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel is of the view that more choice in the payments landscape would be most beneficial, suggesting earlier this year that he is interested in enshrining the right to use cash in law. He spoke out in April, following the case of an autistic Islander being denied access to Les Quennevais Sports Centre when his cash payment was turned down.
Cash, for me, is a really important component of society because it enables us to transact with other people entirely free from surveillance… There is a third party involved in every digital transaction, and to lose the ability to pay for something with cash is to lose one of our freedoms. Just because it is really easy and we can go down the road of cashless payments, does not mean we should. The cost is our freedom.
Minister Morel warns that the data collected on cashless transactions could be misused, for example by ‘a government which is not a benign government.’
Nina Morgan, founder of Jersey’s Cash is King Facebook group, is also keen to see legislation protect, rather than exclude, cash and payment choice.
I absolutely support any proposition that would protect the use of cash in Jersey. It is important that no one is discriminated against… and that there is equal access to all goods and services by everyone, regardless of their personal financial arrangements.
Cash Matters eagerly awaits the conclusions of the Economic and International Affairs Panel, and is hopeful that—for the sake of choice, freedom, inclusivity and privacy—it will find in favour of introducing legislation to ensure businesses accept cash alongside offering cashless options.