Government trails on cost control, say private sector heads

Wednesday 19th November 2008, 11:30AM GMT.

GOVERNMENT is out of step with the private sector when it comes to controlling costs, business leaders said yesterday.

Confederation of Guernsey Industry director Peter Budwin (pictured) said private firms had traditionally been better than government when it comes to ‘working smarter’.

‘Business will look at retraining staff, doubling up jobs and refining things,’ he said. ‘This is where I believe government falls down and it doesn’t look to streamline the system – or at least it hasn’t in the past.’

The States payroll this year is expected to rise 2.3% above inflation and by 2.7% next year. Chamber of Commerce president Paul Luxon said his group found the figures disappointing.

The States’ plan to keep expenditure, both payroll and general, below RPI was regarded as a good start in controlling government spending and simply had to be achieved, he said.

‘Businesses are having to assess their cost bases in the light of the dramatic economic backdrop that has arisen over the past few months to ensure that organisations are fit for purpose and the same must apply for those employed by the States of Guernsey.’

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Darren

November 20, 2008 at 8:25 am

Paul Luxon – what are you talking about?
Let me see, Lehman Bros, commercial company – SHUTDOWN.
Landisbanki, commercial company – SHUTDOWN.
and on and on.
The States has been mismanaged, of that there is no doubt, but they hardly pay salaries that would make the commercial sector go weak at the knees.
As for Peter Budwin’s comments, what a load of dross. Every private law firm I have ever dealt with in Guernsey is frivolous with expenditure, Friday afternoons are an excuse to open the Verve Clicquot. Many companies take advantage of their competitive advantage, i.e. the off-shore taxation arrangement, and as such work well.
I think Peter is probably referring to the fact that the commercial sector has to train people to do two jobs as there are not enough people on Guernsey to cover the demand, or have sufficient skillsets.
As for doubling up staff – what a load of horlicks, I know of MANY States staff who are doing two or three jobs for NO extra pay.
Get real and stop making sensationalist statements and start offering some practical, sensible solutions to the problems; stop adding to them and offer the systems, processes and tools needed to sort out this runaway train.
Guernsey is run by a bunch of people who I wouldn’t trust to run a tap, let alone a Government.
Trott is laughing all the way to the airport,and the rest are just as bad.
Still ,it’s nice to see Mr Falla offering advice – not that he ever had any conflicts of interest.
Guernsey is rotten with those who just take and give nothing to those people who matter, its people.

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