This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mollet

WORKED stopped yesterday on Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclays’ multi-million pound developments in Sark.

This follows an allegation that the Brecqhou owners broke shipping regulations by using their own boat.

Now an accusation that could have led at worst to a £100 fine could cost more than 100 jobs.

‘We are all hoping for a change of heart,’ said Sark deputy Richard Dewe.

The island’s Chamber of Commerce called a meeting last night. The General Purposes and Advisory Committee, the Shipping Committee and Sark Estate Management, which is responsible for the Barclay brothers’ investment in the island, attended.

Further meetings are planned today and the two committees hope to resolve some of the issues.

A public meeting has been convened for 5.15pm in the Island Hall.

‘A lot of the employees on the sites will be there. Hopefully they can resolve a favourable outcome,’ Mr Dewe, who chairs the General Purposes and Advisory Committee, said this morning.

A Sark resident, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘The workforce are behind the Barclays. There are 75 to 100 directly employed and up to 200 indirectly employed, which is a large percentage of the adult population.’

‘If they do mothball everything it would include the Aval du Creux, La Moinerie Hotel and Dixcart Hotel and half a dozen shops and a few restaurants on the Avenue, which would have a massive impact on the island and tourism,’ they warned.

Mr Dewe, who has two sons working for a subcontractor, understood that following a meeting on Monday night the men were to be taken off sites.

‘They were told to look for other jobs,’ he said.

Brecqhou Developments sites include the old bike shop in the Avenue and Aval du Creux and La Moinerie Hotel, some of which were virtually completed.

‘There is outside labour but the majority are from established firms on the island or local labour. They have wanted as much local labour as possible,’ said Mr Dewe.

‘There are some that are purely limited to the sites at the moment and if they lose their jobs they will be looking for work. Local people married with a family would suddenly be left with a shortfall in their income,’ he said.

Sarkees fear a big impact on the economy - to the tune of about £35,000 a week.

‘There is a lot of talk and a lot of rumour and whether there will be a change of heart I don’t know,’ said Mr Dewe.

‘We are trying to find out what the facts are and I’m trying to be kept in the loop.’

It is understood that somebody had questioned whether the 1951 Sark Shipping monopoly law had been violated.

Claims that an inquiry into whether the use of the Brecqhou Warrior breached the law was politically motivated have been denied by Sark authorities.

Mr Dewe understood that as there was no element of hire or reward and freight was carried for own usage no law was broken.

Harbour, crane and cargo dues had been paid.

He was not aware there was any current police investigation into the running of any vessel to Sark.

‘There is no charge being made - it’s their own materials for their own work.’

Another Sark source said that provided materials were not being brought in for a third party people could use their own vessel.

Sark Estate Management manager Kevin Delaney could not be contacted.