Sark stays split as pain of pull-out starts biting
Saturday 13th December 2008, 9:30AM GMT.
Paul and Claire Marriette have sunk their life savings into their barclays-owned shop, French Liaisons, which they have been told to close but they are not unsympathetic. They prefer leaving Sark to being ruled by the newly-elected establishment. (Picture by Zoe Ash, 0689389)
THE human cost of the Barclays pull-out became evident in Sark yesterday.
Confusion, betrayal and anger were among the emotions expressed as shops, restaurants and hotels forced to close with immediate effect were left deserted and boarded up. While some people had been told outright their job had gone, others were still waiting to hear if theirs were safe.
‘Out of my family of five, four of us have lost our jobs. It’s two weeks before Christmas and I’m bricking it, to be honest,’ said Leah Barnes, 20, who worked for the Sark Building Company.
‘We were always told the Barclays would do something if they didn’t like the way the election turned out, but I never expected it would be so sudden.
‘I can’t say at the moment if I feel betrayed, I guess I’m still waiting to see how this all turns out. It’s less about trust and more about putting food on the table and at the moment there are more than 100 people who will be struggling to do that.
‘I’m not sure what reaction they’d get if they came back because at the end of the day, if someone offers you a job, you’re not going to turn it down.’
Opinions were divided as to who to blame for the job losses and whether the departure of the Barclays was good for the island’s future. Some accused them of ‘throwing their toys out of the pram,’ because they didn’t get the result they wanted in the election.
But retailers Claire and Paul Marriette, who rented premises from the Barclays-owned Sark Estate Management, blamed anti-Barclay activists for refusing to cooperate for the good of the island.
‘The investment here did benefit the island and improved its reputation with tourists. We had some fantastic compliments from people saying how great the Avenue looked. I agree with the Barclays – why stick around and invest millions in trying to improve a place only for it to go unappreciated?’ said Mr Marriette, who has been told to close his shop, French Liaisons.
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Message to the Sarkees.
Ask your elected what they are going to do for you now?
Absolutely nothing is my guess!
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The reality is that Sark has enjoyed a false economy for the last 2 or 3 years fuelled by the Barclays significant investment programme.
Common sense should have prevailed. Their investment was never going to be viable or sustainable in the long-term. Anyone who thought otherwise must be either stupid or ignorant.
Their employees would do well to remember the mantra, “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!”
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I read about this on the ‘Thisisjersey’ website. My comment was:
Could the Sark government maybe ‘nationalise’ all the BB businesses in the public interest?
If and when anyone else comes forward to buy each business, that will be the time for the BB’s to be paid. I hope that no-one bids more than about 10% of each business’s value though!
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As a frequent visitor to Guernsey and Sark I applaud the people of Sark who have rejected the plans to ‘update’ the way of life there. In these days of fast-fix and money power it is heartening to see that there are those who still wish to cling on to those things that they cherish.
Here on the Isle of Wight all the things that once made it unique are being destroyed and buried in the rush to build more and more houses.
To the good people of Sark I send greetings, and long may they retain the way of life that others admire so much.
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I assume from this that the Brothers also bought up the Avenue… perhaps short sighted to allow so much property to be owned by one hand.
Devestating for those relying on the income and I hope that some where some good does comes of this situation for all and Sark.
Perhaps it is time for Guernsey too to take stock and stop selling of property it owns.
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Sark was fine as it was, a haven for the Islanders, tourists and nature. I was born on the island(during the occupation) my father and his family could trace their lines back several hundreds of years. My father, mother and sister always told me, that life before the war was good, ‘we knew our place, were cared for and looked after and did not want or expect the trappings of modern life’. Some things do have to change but not to the extent that they are now. I would love to go back to live, but cannot afford it.
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It seems to me that the Barclays would want you all to argue fuss and fight. Band together and form your fledgling democracy where everyone has a voice, not just the voice of wealth. Distribute your wealth amongst each other as the Americans did in the beginning. Revolution comes with a cost. George Washington did not have resources to dole out to people after we won our independence from the British, all he could do was send people home to do the best they could and put some good people together to get the government organized, so don’t expect the Barclays to save you, their interest is self interest. Save yourselves and band together.
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Since the Barcleys arrived they’ve been under the cosh.If it wasn’t their castle having the right colour of stone it was local law intefering with the writing of the man’s will.
They have invested and helped give the Island it’s own independance.
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Paul- The elected are the true lovers of Sark and its people. Better it be in their – elected- hands, than at a couple of property developers who wanted nothing more than controll and extention of their “kingdom”. I say to the Barclays – “you reap what you sow.”
The arrogance of people to think that the island cannot survive without the Barclays. Ive been going to the island for 16 years. Its beautiful the way it is. They have survived pre Barclays and will survive again.
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Better to have the Sark that people know and cherish than the remote controlled forced modernisation, which is detrimental to Sark’s charm.
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In answer to Mr & Mrs Mariette’s comment in the Guernsey Press, if as they appear to have no confidence in the newly elected government Sark will not be the place for them in the coming months, hopefully Sark Shipping will be running next week and i would suggest they jump on the earliest boat as they do not support the people of Sark by the way they voted in the recent election, try setting a shop up in Brecqhou.
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I am sure that Paul & Claire Marriette could have been right in assuming that anti-barclay activists were refusing to co-operate maybe it would have been different if they had not faced all the adverse publicity and down right character assasination in the Sark news etc. Need i say more.
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As for Claire & Paul Mariettes comment on the so called Barclay activists, please can you get your facts right, the Barclays messed in their own nests, if you have been in the Island long enough you would have realised that Sark people stick together not try and feather their own nests. Choose to live in Sark and support Sark not the investment. I am sure the community will do again as it did in 1945, pull together, shake off the dust and start all over again. I have got faith in our new government even if you havn’t. I rest my case. Fact is better than fiction.
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Although great play has been made about the loss of jobs on Sark following the Barclays fit of p-icque I wonder how many true Sark residents are involved. Visiting the island on holiday last summer it was obvious from talking with local residents that the Barclays were not wanted on the island and had in fact had to “import” many of their workers since local people would not work for them. It seemed obvious to us back in June the likely outcome of the election
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The more I think about this, the more I feel that both the Sark Government and the Barclay brothers (or more likely their so-called representatives and legal advisers) have made a complete shambles of the whole “Sark issue” from beginning to end. I cannot help feel that both sides must cease with immediate effect the animosity and one-upmanship and stop making this a personal vendetta against one another. Both parties I am sure have the future and securty of Sark at the forefront of their minds. We need no convincing of the fact that both sides love Sark as so many others do. But each side is contributing in an horrific way the demise of Sark, its people, culture, customs, society and the inate beauty of everything that is Sark. The democratisation of Sark should have been a celebration for Sark: the start of a new era in its illustrious history. Instead, it has ended in bitter feud and any spirit of democracy has been demolished. The Barclay brothers have indeed wished to have a political influence on the island. But I believe they may well have been badly advised. Certainly, these two gentlemen would have done well to have attended the Chief Pleas meetings themselves. Their charm and kindness could well have lead to influence of a more genteel kind. Their poularity may well have grown amongst the people by their own merit and not been ruined via the clinical arrogance of their very own “advisers”. Had the Seigneur (who seems to have become silent and indifferent to all this) and Chief Pleas thought clearly about the future of the island, they may well have embraced financial investment more cleverly than thay have: avoiding democracy and change may have been dealt with with more thought. Again, both sides spend so much of their time falling over themselves to get one over on the other side, the single important issue here has been forgotten – the future and security of those that matter. The loss of jobs and income is devestating to those who have lost them and there is NO bigger picture here. The Barclays may have forgotten what poverty feels like and they will be protected from the human suffering by their advisers. The Government of Sark in their wisdom, have never developed a sufficient social security system that will help these people. Therefore, I would suggest that neither party is doing the right thing here for the benefit of the people. I would suggest that the island be abandoned if people will not take seriously their obligations for its people and its future.
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how can you sink your life savings into if someone else owns it?
that’s just stupid
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If you were ‘always told the the Barclays would do something’ then whe did you not look into it or take the risk. Money speaks until the penny drops.
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Well, what can you say about this ? I don’t blame the Barclays for doing what they did. I’m sure I wouldn’t keep pouring money into something that I had no say over. If people are honest they would do exactly the same.
Good for you the Barclay Brothers for having the courage to do this.
As Paul says, ask your elected what they are going to do for you. They should give you jobs and pay your wages !
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I have spent most of my working life serving the rich & privileged in my profession. My work brought me close to them and, in my opinion, no matter what image they wish to portray, ultimately they care about one thing only – themselves.
People choose to live in places like Sark for the unique way of life. If you want modern lifestyle living or business opportunities, there are plenty of other places around the world. It is a tragedy that so much of Sark has been sold out to the Barclays. However, things will work out.
The likes of the Barclays will come and go – Sark has been there forever, and one way or another, always will be. Good luck to you, and next time I’m back in the northern hemisphere, I hope I can visit the old Sark I so used to love.
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The Barlcays have invested a lot of money in the island’s infrastructure and benefitted the community.
What that does NOT give them is the right to rule the island as their own personal fiefdom and throw their toys out of the pram like a couple of children when they don’t get their own way.
“We want democracy in Sark” say the Barclays “but only if we are in charge of it”.
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As harsh as this may sound – I have zero sympathy for the Sarkees…
You cant have your cake & eat it as the old saying goes!!
They gladly accept the Barclays money when it is offered but when it comes to giving a little back they dont want to know!!
I for one have been a regular visitor to Sark over the years & for the last few years I have felt intimidated in the public houses by the locals…
I got the ‘We dont like your type (Guerns) around here’ attitude… Its not the place it used to be i’m afraid…
I guess somehow us Guerns will be blamed for this whole fiasco!!
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The Barclay brothers spent a small fortune hiring heavyweight lawyers to force Sark to adopt a “democracy” and, repeatedly, we were told that this was for for the benefit of Sarkees so that they could have a modern elected government.
The democratic decision of the people of Sark was to vote for candidates who did not necessarily agree with the Barclay’s agenda for redeveloping the Island. Now they have shown their true colours – they never intended the new system of government to be for the benefit of the people of Sark – it was supposed to have been a government that would allow the Barclay’s to push through their development plans unopposed.
If they truly cared about Sark and its people they would not have sacked 100 loyal workers and they certainly would not have boarded up businesses and refused to sell them on.
Personally I think their behaviour is nothing short of scandalous. I repeat what I have said previously, the Sarkees should be applauded for having the courage of their convictions.
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This is what the Sarkees voted for right?
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Nonsense Mr Bonney.
Was Sark suposed to pass a law to prevent the Barclays from buying everything up? No one asked them to buy half the island’s busineses. They set about doing so quite deliberately in order to be able to wield more and more influence. Now that tactic has failed, they’ve stropped off. What’s really unforgivable is that tbey’re not seling – just closing everything down.
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Gareth, no-one forced the good people of Sark to sell half their island either. It’s a shame that those who lined their bulging pockets with the Barclays cash aren’t the ones suffering now.
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Sorry no sympathy from me..
You chased 15 millium pounds of investment out of your islands cuz you didn’t like the views of the guys that wanted to make your islands rich again..
And yes the would have made Sark make a lot money again like thier other bussiness. And yes they would have line there pockets with the profits from thier hotel and shops.. But wouldn’t that be good for everybody on Sark ????.
Well Sark it’s back to the old ways then and all the old these boys will not be around for much longers and they leave the younger ones holding the baby so to speak.
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Lets get the facts right.
A) It has been found that only 25 of the unemployed are tax paying residents of Sark.
B) Two weeks before the election about 10 building workers were laid off by the Barclays.
C) Most of the people made redundant are itinerant workers brought in by the Barclays for the summer and most of them are now going home.
D) The Sarkees are rallying round finding work for those most deserving.
E) Where are the caring, sharing Barclays.
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So the Barclays bought half of Sark but that dosen’t give them the right to tell people how to vote. They pushed for democracy knowing how unpopular they were in certain quarters in Sark. Now those people have exercised their democratic rights the Barclays are punishing the whole island because they didn’t get the result they wanted. Their pontifications of democracy were a sham.
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I,m very curious as to where Spender got his Magic number 25 from,, as a resident on Sark I know that the figure of 38 is being used in the press by certain deputies,,which is the number of residents on the electrol roll,( 2 little words that change the perspective on that statement????)as alot of the younger generation did not register (for what reasons I do not know, )but they will still be taxed in the coming months???? Also there are some people who have moved to the Island within the last 12mths that are not eligible to go on the roll,, that does,nt make them non existent, they had moved here for the love of Sark its way of life, and the jobs were on offer,or the chance to start a small bussiness, If they had had a crystal ball I,m sure that they would never had done so,,As for the 10 employees being laid off,,, news to anyone who worked for them??? That was a new rumour to add to the ever increasing list, so please only write what is fact or can be proven ie:Electrol roll, this Island has now to get on with the aftermath of this, and that will be made all the more difficult, by gossip and rumours in an already fragmented communutity,
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I am a Guernseyman now living in Australia and the Grandfather of Paul Marriette. I visited Sark last summer and have been closely following events on line ever since. I will not take sides on Sark issues but merely state that Sark is now a democracy and whether the island sinks or swims it will be in the hands of it’s residents which is exactly where it should be. As we would say down under “Good onya Sarkees”.
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Reference my earlier comment, it should read that I am Paul Marriette’s UNCLE not Grandfather. Sorry about that, I must have had one of those senior moments.
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