Ex-deputy casts first vote in historic poll

Thursday 11th December 2008, 2:29PM GMT.

OUTGOING deputy Roger Olsen (pictured) was first to vote in Sark’s historic election yesterday.

He was one of six people waiting outside the Island Hall at 10am and put his slip into the ballot box under the spotlight of TV cameras and photographers.

‘Sark has an opportunity to express itself, determine its own destiny,’ he said outside afterwards.

‘We like to make our own decisions and now we’re set up to do exactly that.’

He said much of the world did not enjoy free elections, but this would be the first time Sark’s parliament would be fully elected by its residents.

Mr Olsen, the only deputy who did not seek re-election, has lived in the island almost 10 years and entered Chief Pleas as a deputy in an unopposed election.

He said that the media had created most of the talk of division.