Brecqhou could pull plug on Sark as voters choose ‘establishment’ conseillers
Thursday 11th December 2008, 2:31PM GMT.
Election battle bus, Sark style. But Daniel Parsons’ last-minute canvassing was not enough to get him into the first democratically elected Chief Pleas. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0687051)
SARK ended 450 years of feudalism yesterday and sent a message to Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay that threatens the Brecqhou owners’ investment in the island.
For the first time electors were able to choose all the political members of Chief Pleas and in the main backed establishment candidates, several of them known for their anti-Barclay stance.
The drama continues today because a recount is needed to decide who gets the 28th seat in Chief Pleas after three candidates finished within six votes of each other.
The Brecqhou owners, who have invested millions in Sark, loomed large in the weeks leading up to the campaign and the divided community.
On election day, an article appeared in the Daily Telegraph, which the brothers own and in which Sir David said he was ‘very tempted to walk away from Sark’. If the establishment candidates were elected the investment programme would have to be reconsidered.
The Brecqhou-backed Sark News this month published the names of 12 candidates it considered dangerous to progress in Sark.
Voters yesterday put eight of the 12 firmly in Chief Pleas and, if the recount confirms Peter Cole’s 28th place, that figure will rise to nine .
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The Barclays have been fair to their workforce and generous to Sark. But what right have they to change a system that has been in place for over 400 years? If they don’t like the government where they live they should go back to the UK instead of interfering with something that should not concern them.
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It appears to me that the Barclays are treating Sark as another business venture, and it is obvious they are so used to getting their own way that they wont take no for an answer.
It is so sad that it is causing such a rift on the island, and I cannot see any point in them pouring their funds unto the island if they have little care for the turmoil it is causing within the community.
Money does talk, but democracy and peoples way of life is far too precious to be bought, and especially by outsiders who seem to be uncaring as to the problems they are causing.
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A private island, huge mansion and national newspaper – £millions. Seats in Chief Pleas…priceless.
There’s some things money can’t buy….for everything else there’s Barclaycard
PS To Dave & Fred Barclay – if you do decide to walk away from Sark, will you give me your house please? ;-)
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I thought that the Barclay Brothers were anti fuedalism. Their first actions after the election are those of a feudal lord!! Toys and prams come to mind. Can we in Guernsey treat them as persona non grata.
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To the posts above and the Sarkees themselves.
The Barclays are not changing the ways things have been done on Sark for centuries. Human Rights, or lack of them, are leading the way.
All of the Channel Islands desperately need a good shake up.
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I have just heard that they are now pulling out of Sark. Seems like a touch of ‘I don’t like the way you play the game so I want my ball back!’.
What about the people who have worked for them and been loyal to them. They are all out of a job now I suppose. As if they care! Seems to me that people got taken in by them and are now paying the price for their loyalty. It did seem too good to be true spending all of that largess on Sark. Obvious now as to why – they wanted to totally take it over as they have with Brecqhou!
I was under the impression that they wanted democracy! Well now they have achieved that but are still unhappy with the outcome so instead of sticking around and being the good neighbours that they wanted locals to think they were, they want to abandon ship instead. Typical!.
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It is interesting to hear that investment in the Sark community may be pulled purely for political reasons. Can there be any better example of anti-democracy? The people of Sark should be proud of themselves for their achievments with or without investment.
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Paul Le P, love your take on the ‘MasterCard’ commercial! Most importantly though, election congratulations from Canada, Sark, on taking a big step towards preserving Sark for Sarkee’s, hopefully the beautiful happy-living Sark from around the 1950′s and the time of crazy good- buddy John Peree and his tractor belting down the harbour road to the waiting ferry boat with us slightly inebriated ‘visitors’ bouncing around in the back of a trailer singing out obsenities as we hung on for dear life!! Those were the days!!
Recent events remind me too of a postcard that I still have. It came out some time after the end of WW11. Upon it is the outline of Guernsey, a Donkey standing on it ‘drop-kicking’ a Nazi off the island.
Best wishes
Every success.
(ps: do ‘those days’ still happen on Sark?)
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Looks like they have taken umbrage at the result of the democratic elections which did not meet with their expectations by immediately closing down the hotels and shops they purchased and have made all the staff redundant.
Shame on them.
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The Barclays are hardly being democratic the way they are behaving. Things don’t seem to be going their way so stomp on the little people again. “They only have themselves to blame” The sheer arrogance of it. Well done boys, you must be pleased with yourselves.
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For all the Barclay propaganda about introducing democracy their recent behaviour very clearly suggests they just want to rule the island themselves. Well done voters of Sark for making your own choice.
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Clearly the Barcaly Brothers have a strange idea of democracy. Withdraw funding when it doesn’t go your way? They are the actions of spoilt children and frankly Sark will be all the better without them. To the brothers : Go spend your money on a new car or a pair of socks or something that can be bought and then dicarded when you don’t like them anymore.
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Well isn’t it refreshing to see the Barclays react in a grown up and positive way to the democratic elections they FORCED Sark into.
Oh wait, they didn’t, they threw all their toys out of the pram.
Who do they think they are, putting a quarter of the population out of work out of spite because there is now proof that the majority of Sark don’t agree with them?
They couldn’t even be bothered to vote – and if you disenfranchise yourself you have no right to complain about election results in my book.
At least now everybody can see them for what they are – they thought they could buy everything ( and everybody ) they wanted.
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Good job. Sark will survive and progress for the better without them. What right have they to come in and try and turn Sark into a glorified theme park.
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Wasn’t it the Barclays who wanted democracy in Sark in the first place….
They didn’t even register to vote!!
They have now sacked ALL their workforce on the Island because they didn’t like those who were voted in….
Glad to see the Barclays are so pro democracy!
Hopefully they will sell up, leave Sark alone and go back to their own Island!!
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So the Barclays have thrown the toys out of their pram because the proles didn’t vote the way that they wanted! Although the people of Sark didn’t exactly nip it in the bud (as the Barclays’ ownership of many Sark establishments proves), at least they have put their foot down now.
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I am proud of the people of Sark for the statement that they have made. Sark stands for Sark, they have declared.Sark now needs to be made into something the world will be proud of. It is the last emerging Democracy in Western Europe and represents a unique opportunity to do something special here.I hope Sir Frederick and Sir David will respect their place in this process and not wash their hands of it at all, but put their power and influance to work for the good of all with the will of the people as their guideline.They have insisted on Democracy, and they have got it.Its time for them to demonstrate that they are prepared to show respect for what they have started and live in a democratic society themselves.
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The Barclay twins are reacting to the Sark election result like children. They tried to get their way by democratic means but they don’t like the democratic answer they have received. If you depend on the extreme wealth of a couple of people for your job and quality of life you are also subject to their whims and follies – just like in feudal times!
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Sir,
I have read with disgust the statements by ‘representatives’ of the Barclay Brothers following the election on the island of Sark in which the inhabitants, having against their traditions been required to express their opinion democratically, have chosen massively to support those who oppose the efforts of the brothers to enshrine in the island’s laws the character of a personal fiscal paradise.
By immediately closing all the businesses they own on the island and –apparently- sacking all their employees, the brothers have declared war upon this ancient community.
Nobody asked the Barclays to move to Brechou and nobody is asking them to stay but to move into a community and then seek to take it over is colonialism of the worst sort.
The good people of Sark would now be best advised to take a leaf from the experience of the retiring President of the United States.
After centuries of free market feudalism they face economic disaster unless they swallow their principles and act firmly and with resolve.
The new Chief Pleas should designate the Barclay Brothers to be public enemies and outlaws and nationalize without compensation all their property within the jurisdiction of Sark – which includes the island of Brechou.
It is true that such a loss will inconvenience the brothers but -given their immense wealth- not excessively.
But if the Chief Pleas does not act decisively there is a grave danger that these two will starve the islanders out of their houses and homes.
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It seems that the Barclay brothers are showing their true colours now that they haven’t got their own way.
They bleated about “democracy” yet when they didn’t like the outcome of the democratic process they pull the plug and take away people’s livelihoods. Doesn’t sound like democracy to me.
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Good riddance and the sooner the better.
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In Medieval times the Lord of the Castle had a birthright to sleep with any bride on the first night of her marriage. This was called a feudal right. The Lord of the castle also had a right to tax, kill, or maim his serfs as he saw fit. These rights were also wrapped up in the feudal structure of the time.
Ironic, is it not, that some local castle dwellers are trying to remove feudalism by applying powers not too far removed from those of earlier Medieval days.
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The Barclays have found out that Sark is not for sale. Their investment into the Sark infrastructure was clearly nothing other than an inducement which didn’t succeed. It was they who insisted on the constitution changing to become more democratic, and democracy has spoken.
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So the Barclay brothers decide that the feudal system must be changed, and then act like the Big Bad Baron when democracy doesn’t deliver what they want. Nice. I suggest they get what they like least – publicity, and lots of it…
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Shutting all Barclays businesses on Sark as they didnt win doesnt seem to tie in with their Democratic idealogy.
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So the Barclay brothers lost and are now punishing the voters of Sark for not obeying them. Perhaps they should now try to take on the Societe des Bains de Mer (which runs Monaco, their principal residence). Or is that a little too much to bite off?
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Paul (December 11, 2008 at 6:02 pm) – let’s consider nations that don’t respect human rights – Iran, North Korea, China, Sark?
Please get a proper perspective and don’t play the “human rights” card for Sark, or any other Channel Island for that matter.
Certainly there are flaws in the way our islands operate however for anyone to suggest we are denied human rights on these islands is living in cloud cookoo land and should spend some time in North Korea or Iran and learn a proper perspective of what it’s really like to live in a nation that doesn’t respect human rights.
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Open letter to the Barclay’s of Brechou.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!
Yours sincerely,
The Free and Democratic Poeples of the World
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Brilliant to hear on Radio Jersey just now the rousing statement of support for the people and government of Sark from the Chamber of the Jersey States of Deliberation. The Jersey Bailiff said he would write to the Seneschal to convey that message and I hope and trust that our own Bailiff, with unanimous backing from Guernsey’s elected deputies and the two Alderney representatives, will be doing the same. This is a time for the Channel Islands to unite and stand as one.
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The Barcley Brothers only want one thing – control. Their recent actions show this. You can’t buy democracy.
Good luck and LONG LIVE SARK.
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PS. (From a genuine Channel Islander.)
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The Actions of the Barclay brothers are a direct attack on the people of Sark. For the first time you have a democratically elected Government why not nationalise the Barclay interests NOW!
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Unbelievable! There is a rule for one and a rule for others, so much for democracy!
How about this for a solution to help those residents now out of a job and needing monetary support?
A new wealth tax introduced for residents of Sark and Brecqhou that imposes an annual tax on worldwide assets at the rate of 50% on those residents with assets greater than £500 million. If the tax is not paid, all local assets are confiscated…
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Good luck to the people of Sark for standing up for their beliefs. How can “the brothers” expect to win this way. This has smacks of Zimbabwe -but without the violence. People of Sark I am sure the rest of the Channel Islands will throw their support behind you. There may often be inter-island rivalry but united we can stand – remember the 2nd world war.
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Good luck to the brave people of Sark for standing up against the threats of the Barclay Brothers who appear to be acting like dictators.
I feel very sorry for the people losing their employment just before Christmas and urge them not to worry for the longer term as Sark is such a lovely place to visit and stay that others will buy out the Barclay Brothers interests.
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For individuals who hate publicity, their callous acts deserve public condemnation across the wider United Kingdom. While their investment was obviously welcomed, they appear to have a total lack of respect for the locals who have been on Sark long before they arrived. I commend Mr S Tostevin’s taxation proposal – while it may seem harsh, you could not say it would not be deserved.
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Why oh why should they keep investing thier money in an Island that clearly hates them and has run a hate campain agaist them ?.
Good Luck Sark, I’m sure the Chief Pleas soup kitchen will look after you all.
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Sadly for Mr S Tostevin’s suggestion, the Barclays have so far successfully established that Brecqhou is not part of Sark. So the Barclays cannot be taxed.
However their businesses in Sark are quite definitely in Sark. That means they could be taxed; however I would suggest that the democratically elected members of Sark’s Chief Pleas consider the possibility of nationalising those businesses.
I would suggest that the nationalisation be without compensation.
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Sacking over 100 people, without warning, is this against their Human Rights.
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It is evident that the Barclays had their own agenda for Sark, and the money too.
Our neighbours need help, and I believe the people of Guernsey, many of whom have enjoyed the hospitality if Sark, should rally and provide a fund for those in need on the island, and at least give them a Christmas.
Charity begins at home, so how about our Bailiff and Sates members leading the way . There are future opportunities for our local businesses too, so lets take the opportunity before any others get in, and our islands get held to ransom again.
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Well done Sark! You have shown the true British spirit by standing up against monopoly capital, disguised as “democracy”. Is it too much to hope that the tide might now start to turn everywhere in favour of real people and genuine communities?
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My understanding of Sark law and jurisdiction is somewhat limited. But to the extent that it is in line with UK law, the people of Sark have a remedy. Those laid off because they had the temerity to vote against the Barclays’ self interest have a claim for unfair dismissal/damages.
A group/collective action in an employment tribunal by the employees for unfair dismissal followed by an action in the open courts for damages/compensation for the distress caused by the Barclay’s action, would in without a doubt, be successful if these steps had occurred in the UK.
I’m sure lawyers would relish taking this on now that the Barclay’s have left themselves so open by the fit of pique.
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With the Barcley brothers investment in Sark, it is clear they wanted to own and control as much of Sark as possible – luckily they weren’t able to buy more. They used the European courts with their money for their own purpose, not for any supposed human rights. They have displayed their version of human rights. Sark may now be struggling to come to terms with the consequences they now face, but it all seems clear from the other islands.
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Well done people of Sark for standing up to the Barclay Brothers. It is now obvious that they only want to be “friends” if you’d all voted their way. They’ve even announced that as you’ve not voted for the people they wamt they are now going to stop all the work/businesses in Sark. Isn’t trying to rig voting against the Law? As Guernsey Lass notes this amacks of Zimbabwe without the violence! Stand strong people of Sark the true “Guerns” are with you. You were voting for a Democratic Society, which means you can vote how you want to and hot the way the Barclays told you to.
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Amazing how many people are so quick to ‘democratically’ inform us how the Barclays should spend their money. Maybe some of those who made those comments would also prefer a system of government whereby the elected officials tell everyone else how they should spend their money? No, I didn’t think so.
You reap what you sow. No one was in any doubt as to what the consequences would be and to see so many bleating about it now is just plain ridiculous. Who sold one fifth of the island to the Barclays? Sark residents. Enough said.
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I have long believed and said so to friends that the Barclays have been taking on the real people of Sark for their own ends since they arrived. As they have the money and Sark has not. The Brecqhou lease holders, who have invested millions in Sark, loomed large in the weeks leading up to the campaign and divided the community with their threats of retaliation.
In the Brecqhou-backed Sark News this month:
‘They published the names of 12 candidates known for their anti-Barclay stance, they considered dangerous to progress in Sark’.
Then on Election Day, an article appeared in the Daily Telegraph, which the brothers own
‘In which Sir David said he was ‘very tempted to walk away from Sark’. If the establishment candidates were elected the investment programme would have to be reconsidered’.
Is this not a case of trying to bully the voters into voting as they are told?
They have constantly said they are doing this so that the people of Sark can have a democratically elected government and democracy. Can they please explain this?
Well now they have shown their true colours haven’t they. They didn’t get the result ‘THEY WANTED’ in the election so they have thrown their toys out of the pram. The estate manager Kevin Delaney said of ‘Wednesday’s election had signed the longest commercial suicide note in history’. Then followed this with
‘We will not be selling a single blade of grass,’ he said. He said that he, probably like the people of Sark, was in a reflective mood and no decision had been made on the properties’ future. THE Barclays will retain their Sark real estate portfolio, despite closing the businesses and stopping development work.’
Their land in Sark should be subject to a compulsory purchase order along with Brecqhou. One Question about the School/Hall and its alcohol licence they objected to. How come the football premier league which is sponsored by their bank has teams sponsored by alcohol companies be it the players kit or adverts around the grounds . The sooner Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay go the better for Sark.
SARK ended 450 years of feudalism yesterday and sent a message to Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. Voters yesterday put eight of the 12 firmly in Chief Pleas and, if the recount confirms Peter Cole’s 28th place, that figure will rise to nine.
Well done Sark for not bowing to their wishes.
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I think that the Sark government should implement emercency measures to confiscate all of the properties owned by the Barclay brothers, including Brequou.
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I didn’t realise that the climate of Brecqhou was so conducive to the cultivation of sour grapes.
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Well done Sarkies. The boys of Brecqhou have shown you their true colours. NEVER again trust them.The vote has shown that they are not liked and NOT wanted by the large majority.I hope that they get completely out of Sark,and let the TRUE islanders preserve this beautiful island.
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To invest money in Sark and try to make the islanders dependent on their investment and then threaten or actually withdraw it when the islanders don’t do what the Barclays want is despicable. If they didn’t like the way Sark is run they shouldn’t have invested in the first place. This is misuse of the power of money of the worst kind – as is the monstrocity on Brecqhou and their poluting the environment with their helicopter.
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You people of Sark were happy to sell your houses to the Barclays, take their money and give them the power to control your lives so if you didn’t back them you got no more than you deserve. As Forest Gump’s mother said “Stupid is as stupid does”.
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The Barclay’s have already admitted to planning this act prior to the elections, if they did not succeed. This is a good avenue for the newly elected Sark government to consider. As Sark is self-governing it would be quite easy for them to amend their laws to do whatever they like.
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The Barclay’s were not in this for democracy as they have proved….of greater interest to them was control of Chief Pleas to preserve Sarks current fiscal status….Sark has proved it is not a plaything to be picked up and discarded when it no longer suits. You can buy property in Sark but you cannot buy the minds of its inhabitants. Humility is something which is clearly in short supply in Brecqhou.
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By the grace of St Peter Port harbour the Barclays go. It would be a terrible shame of the harbour workers refused to handle the Brecqhou boats :)
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I used to visit Sark regularly enjoying its peace and tranquillity and sleepy way of going along. In recent years I have been put off visiting by the ever growing commercial aspect and money orientated way of life. This money worship has spoiled Sark. Dame Sybil Hathaway once said that “Sark was a place where the wicked cease from worrying and the weary are at rest”. I fear that it will be many years before the island regains its former peace and tranquillity. Money never bought happiness.
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Barclay brothers have invested loads of money in Sark for the benefit of the people and just because they can afford it they are being victimised. I have seen with my own eyes, shops, restaurants empty and they have bought these with the intention of running them for the people of Sark and visitors alike. Yes they will benefit but so will the islanders themselves. It is the voting system that has caused the problem – and the campaigning. Stubborn islanders should open their eyes – they can get what they want and work together with the Barclay Bros. Live in harmony not with green eyes.
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Were the Barclay brothers victimised – if so how? They purchased property and upgraded it. The properties were then leased to tenants to run their businesses: Win – Win in my opinion. What happened to these leases?
I just do not understand why the results of a democratic election have caused them to immediately pull out – to the detriment of both sides.
They do not appear to care about anybody or anything except their own interests. The amount of money they have investigated in Sark is a drop in the ocean compared to their vast wealth. Some things cannot be bought and perhaps their advisors should have done their research properly. The obvious reason they pulled out in my opinion, was because they did not get their own way via propaganda and bullying tactics, and cannot control everything that happens in Sark.
They are complaining that the position of the Seneschal and Seigneur are not democratic as they are hereditary positions rather than elected – would they say the same of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the Royal family? They were honoured to accept their Knighthoods!
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The Barclay’s bought Sark property’s not it’s democracy.
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The suggestion that the Barclay twins have been victimised is at the very least totally bizarre.There is no evidence at all that they invested for the benefit of the people of Sark…nor is there any evidence of any ‘Block Vote’ against them as erroneously alleged by the sephalogical expert Kevin Delaney whose opinion has been completely refuted by an acedemic at Plymouth University on BBC Radio Guernsey tonight.
As good Catholics and at their advanced age of 74 the Barclay brothers should try to recall the Catechism…particularly the following ‘What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul’
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In the next five, ten or twenty years all these old boys in Sark (Barclay’s include) are going to be box and despatched to heaven or hell..
What future they build for their children, Grande children and Great Grand Children…. A deserted rock..
And it you don’t believe, take a look at the other small channel Islands…. Iles Chansey, Grande Isle, Les minquiers, Les Ecrehou… I can see Sark going the same way… I will guess most people reading this haven’t heard of those Channel Islands.. That’s cuz they are now deserted and thew people visit them.
So wake Sark and smell the coffee. You need money… You need investment.. Don’t become dinosaurs.. Don’t act like old donkeys and cut you nose off to spite your face..
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Melec
Saying Sark will become deserted is a bit OTT. The islands you mention have always been deserted bar the odd mad hermit. They consist of sandbars and are mostly covered with water at high tide.
Sark is a community of 600 people. It is an ideal size to get most things done by consensus. This may be slow but an economy this small cannot afford many mistakes.
To tell people they or their friends will lose their jobs and homes if they vote for the wrong people is undemocratic. I am sure it is illegal in most places.
The Barclays need to find a respected local go-between to clear up misunderstandings, and find a mutual vision of Sark’s future that enhances its attractions without destroying their charm.
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