TODAY, Guernsey’s population is probably at an historic high of 62,000-plus. That follows one of the fastest annual increases on record, one that is twice the long-term average.

It also comes at a time when the States has decided to cap the number of people living here and, in so doing, helped to put up a ‘closed for new business’ sign when zero-10 meant the island needed to attract more wealth earners.

The figures, which were slipped out last week by the deputy chief and Housing ministers, are of extreme importance to the island and raise a number of questions demanding answers.

Alas, this newspaper cannot provide them.

The reason? Deputy chief minister Bernard Flouquet and Housing’s Deputy Dave Jones have refused point blank to discuss either the population or the housing licence figures.

In a carefully-scripted (spun?) statement on Friday they concluded: ‘No further statements will be made on this release.’

Islanders, well used to shabby treatment by their elected representatives, can add this to a very long list of insults.

Over the last 35 years, the average rate of population growth is an extra 273 a year. In the 12 months to the end of March last year, that soared to 551. Despite the significance of that, the two ministers involved are ducking the inevitable questions. We can only speculate why.

If that rate of growth has been maintained, today’s population is 62,277. Even if the increase were limited to the 35-year average, it would be 61,999.

So how do the ministers respond to those who say they are clearly in breach of a States resolution? Well, they don’t.

Why has Housing granted 616 licences for civil servants but only 555 for wealth creators in the financial services sector? Silence.

How many of the 205 horticultural licence holders will qualify under the minimum wage legislation when it is introduced? No response.

Apart from damaging legitimate business interests and fuelling the growth in public sector employees, how does Housing rate the effectiveness and point of its existence? Still no answer.

The ministers might be overcome with nerves at the prospect of trying to respond to hard questions – but that won’t make them go away.