Full independence would frighten away investors and firms
Tuesday 13th October 2009, 2:29PM BST.
GUERNSEY should not become an independent state, according to a special study.
The Constitutional Advisory Panel’s first interim report, published yesterday, found that the island was better off as it is.
‘We have reached the provisional conclusion that Guernsey’s present constitutional position as a Crown Dependency with an increasing role on the international stage is more beneficial than its position as a microstate is likely to be.’
The panel, chaired by former HM Procureur Nik van Leuven (pictured), recommended that Guernsey work with Jersey as soon as possible to take more control of its affairs and also to persuade the UK to take more interest in representing the island internationally.
Talks should be held with the Ministry of Justice about devoting more resources – funding or civil servant – to the island, it said.
To this end, the provisional recommendations included setting up a London or Brussels office and asking the UK if Guernsey staff could join its delegations to appropriate international organisations and events.
It was also suggested that the chief minister be given greater responsibility to give the island a clear voice on external affairs.
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I agree that maintaining our position as Crown Dependency would be preferred – but with the UK handing over more and more of it’s powers to Europe, will Crown Dependency status have any real meaning in future?
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Good Strategy, of course it means having to work with our “sister” island, not something that has always been smooth and convincing the public that the trip to New York, or Brussels or Davos or where ever isnt a jolly, but this is a good direction, well done! (dont let the politicans get in the way)
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Most of the advantages of UK have gone – reciprocal health agreement to name one. EU members have preferential import duties (eg Guernsey to UK import value limit 18 GBP). As for defense, as shown in 1940, the island is largely indefensible. The UK represent the island on the international stage? More like poke its nose in to the Guernsey finance industry.
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Full Indepence is a must. Our staus is a complete anachronism in the modern age.
It will help reduce our overpopulation. Less work
so people will leave.
So less cars, less pollution, less wealth so more
emphasis on family and culture than money.
We can get back to basics on law to sort out the
trouble Brussels human rights is leading us.
Guernsiase as first language.
Sus le pense
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andy says
“We can get back to basics on law to sort out the
trouble Brussels human rights is leading us.”
Care to specify, mon vieux?
Or is that what you’ve been told?
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The European Convention on Human Rights has little to do with Brussels, pre-dating the EU by many years.
The EU itself is not fully signed up to the Convention, even though all the constituent countries are signed up. When the Treaty of Lisbon comes into effect, then the EU as a body will be signed up.
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OH come off it:
Why are you so frightened that we have full independence.
I believe it is because you will no longer have a cushy job and well paid to boot.,
Well I know plenty GUERNSEY people willing to work, just for the thought of loosening the shackles that bind us to some one else.
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Eric
Sorry but you’re off your trolley. How does an island which produces and exports next to nothing other than financial services hope to survive as an independent state ? In case you didn’t to geography at school we are roughly 25-30 miles from France (the EU) and about 80 miles from England (the UK). We are surrounded by EU air space and EU waters. We would be marooned and doomed. Where’s our nearest non-EU sea port ? I’d hazard a guess at Oslo or Morocco but I might be wrong. The nearest non-EU airport ? Possibly Geneva. Our flights already operate via European Air Traffic Control in Brussels, yes in the EU.
How would we fund the medical and prison buy-in that we currently get from the UK as and when we need them ? We would have to invest massively in those services here.
There is not a chance of us surviving as an independent state.
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David:
thank you for telling me about my ailment; if you hadn’t mentioned it I would never have known.
Now what is so wrong that we wish to have our Island as we knew it; I don’t expect it be as it was before the ‘Havens’ destroyed it.
But quite a lot remember, and it irked those who coveted our homeland.
However; once again thank you for the enlightenment, and I hope you will find peace, hopefully elsewhere.
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It WAS a good thing but not anymore Blair marked the real turning point. The UK is a democracy in name alone now and the EU its big brother is so far from the electorate an Autocracy springs to mind.
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Let’s imagine for a moment that it was possible to be independent.
Who would be in charge of our affairs?
It is often remarked that we have a stable government. In my opinion this is a euphemism for an incapable government.
We used to manage our own affairs when life was simple. As soon as life became complicated ( in the form of overseas competition in the growing industry) our States struggled.
Finance survived because it manages itself through it’s own regulatory bodies.
Our present States cannot even decide how much to charge for a parking space.
I think independence may be over-rated.
E
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Once again that last letter is not mine. the one signed at the bottom with a capital E.
Can the forum suggest a solution; for when two of the same name write either one can be blamed for certain postings,
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Does the “SPCECIAL PANEL” know that Guernsey is owned and not able to “declare independance”, what fools thought they could.
Mr Leuven might also want to be more aware that the Channel Islands are not really trusted to do much for themselves overseas and some believe they actually require much more scrutiny in general – because there are too many incompentent states members as evidenced by the recent mass resignations in Guernsey over the Fallagate affair.
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Ian Tripp
What utter nonsense. Please elaborate on your first paragraph.
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Eric, there’s two Erics. It’s not that hard.
Only you know who is you, and only I know who is me. It doesn’t really matter. You’re just another Eric, and so am I.
What’s the problem?
E
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Well actually I was thinking of you:
You see I speak my mind and I get some bad press, (it doesn’t bother me)
However it may bother you if you should get a rap on the knuckles.
So I simply ask if anything could be achieved whereby we would be known as each a different person.
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The Ericgate issue could be a stumbling block to independence, if you can’t find a solution to a clashing name yourself how do you plan to run a country?
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Well Dan:
would that be dangerous Dan from the beano, or was it the dandy, ah never ind, like you’re reply it’s only comedy
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Eric & Eric
Well 1 & 2 to clear up the confusion you have different patterned and coloured Avartars.
These are unique to every poster on this forum. You also post at different times.
I would not be that concerned about a wrap on the knuckles on the web cos it doesn’t hurt at all.
You can change you Avatar @
http://en.gravatar.com/
If you want to have something more personal to you.
Cheers
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Nay Paul:
As you and others have mentioned, it is of
no consequence at all.
My only thought was that at times I get a few digs and it would be shameful if t’other one should be blamed. or vicky vocky. if you follow my meaning.
I hear those distant drums–
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About the message of not being independent, makes me think it wasn’t a Guernsey man who makes that statement, and therefore has more to lose than most.
I Agree it could be at least for a little while to be a dependency, for as such we had some control of our destiny, but our now ruling body cannot understand the bitterness we have toward them as a ruling body, and the almost dictatorial manner of the present CM.
He should go for a start.
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