This Is Guernsey

By Phil Falle

Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland riding shotgun for Rossford de Carteret in the wagon train of eight carriages used for the visit of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association members. (0795548)

SARK played host last week to delegates from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference, which was being held in Guernsey.

It was very much a relaxing day out for those who attended – it couldn’t really be anything else in Sark – and it also provided an opportunity for island residents to congratulate Guernsey’s Bailiff, Sir Geoffrey Rowland, on his knighthood.

In addition, it gave me the chance to thank Sir Geoffrey for acting as my postman several years ago. He and Lady Rowland happened to be in the Galapagos Islands at a place called Telegraph Bay. Apparently, there is a large notice board there, upon which visitors can pin postcards.

The idea is that they can leave cards addressed to family or friends and these are hand-delivered by other visitors spotting an address close to theirs.

Just a day or so before Sir Geoffrey and Lady Rowland arrived, my youngest daughter – then on honeymoon – had pinned one up addressed to us in Sark.

As the Bailiff said the other day, they couldn’t believe it when he and Lady Rowland saw one with a Sark address.

On their return to Guernsey, he handed it to Sark Seneschal Reg Guille, who delivered it to us later that day – a week or so before my daughter’s return to the Channel Islands.

Meeting the Bailiff last week prompted me to start talking about doing something similar in Sark and given the brief discussions I’ve already had about a suitable location – sadly, where the board will not run the risk of being vandalised by mindless morons – I’m hopeful something can be done.

The conference also gave me the opportunity to talk to Jersey States member Dan Murphy, who was using the conference to talk to other Channel Islands politicians about greater cooperation regarding harnessing tidal power in these waters as a renewable energy source.

The conversation we had suggests that at long last a friendly and businesslike dialogue between politicians from all the Channel Islands is being established – something that can only be of benefit to those of us who are privileged to live in them.

Talking of politicians, there is a proposition down for debate in Chief Pleas next month that will remove the requirement for women members of the legislature to wear hats during the sittings.

In the report which accompanies the proposition, Conseillers Jan Guy and David Melling contend that it is not appropriate to require women to wear hats when the same requirement is not made of men.

I have never equated men wearing hats with women doing so – jackets and ties seem to me to be the parallel – and I happen to believe, as do many others here if an informal petition against the move (placed last week in the Island Stores) is anything to go by, that the present arrangement adds to the dignity and standing of both Chief Pleas and the island.

It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the next thing in the firing line will be saying the sitting’s opening and closing prayers in English. As another columnist elsewhere is fond of saying, it won’t be long before these islands are part of Hampshire, given the ease with which we give away our customs, traditions and, by definition, our heritage.

A word before I close to remind readers that Sark’s first street market is on tomorrow and I’m told that in addition to what’s on offer from premises in The Avenue, about 30 or so stalls will also be set up.

It’s going to be a great day out.

• The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.

Article posted on 26th June, 2009 - 10.00am