Generation Y will still have it better than us
IN REPLY to Joshua's letter printed on 3 February [Fed up with moaning Generation X'ers], I guess I must be one of those Mr Luddites he mentions in his sad, ranting letter. It seems to me that the pot is calling the kettle black here, accusing us of complaining, when that is all he seems to be doing.
Yes, us Luddites bought our houses when labour was cheap and work, for the large majority, was not sitting behind a desk all day but real, hard graft for meagre wages. So consequently, in comparison houses were more unaffordable than they are today and financing them even harder. We gave as much as he does percentage wise, if not more, to help support our elderly and needy population, as all generations do.
So when he gets to his old age and the house he bought for £500,000 is worth £200,000,000, will he remember the letter he wrote?
Maybe he will sell up and return to his birthplace, which is obviously not here. If not, then he will understand that no matter how much money he gets for his property, purchasing another locally will not leave him the large nest egg he dreamed of. Never mind, I guess he will be happy to find that the younger generation are helping to support him when he picks up his social security pension, which will be far greater than that at present.
The finance industry has had a big part in the ridiculous prices we pay for everything today. Who are the main people who can afford these prices? That's easy – certainly not the people that work outside that industry.
Guernsey and the Guernseyman coped very well before the finance invasion. Unfortunately for the locals, it has brought more negatives than it has positives – Joshua's letter confirms that. So maybe the good old Guernsey flag hasn't got many years left.
Unlike Joshua, I will leave my name and address, proud to be a Luddite and a Gen X'er.
EDWARD OGIER,
28, Grosse Hougue,
Saltpans Road,
St Sampson's.
