The scene of the tragic accident in which Guernseyman John Marquand died. (1007261)

SARK Seneschal Reg Guille has made a series of safety recommendations following the tragic death of Guernseyman John Marquand in a house fire last month.

To avert ‘another death statistic’ the Seneschal, part of whose duties is to act as the island’s coroner, called on Sark Chief Pleas committees, landlords and the occupiers of privately-owned premises to install smoke detectors without waiting for legislation to be enacted.

Lt-Col Guille has taken the unusual step of publishing his recommendations in the Seneschal Court official notice box to give them the widest possible publicity. The Seneschal’s recommendations are:

• I recommend that the Tourism Committee, the Public Health Committee and any other appropriate Sark authority look into the possibility of extending the current accommodation permit system to cater for rented accommodation or to develop a new law as appropriate.
• I further recommend that all current landlords with rented accommodation fit smoke and other appropriate detectors into their rented accommodation at their own expense and I would hope that they will not await legislation before acting.
• I further recommend that all privately-occupied premises have smoke and other detectors fitted and urge householders to do this before a private dwelling becomes another death statistic.

In common with most people these days, I happen to believe in less rather than more legislation – most communities are grossly over-regulated and sadly Sark seems to be heading that way also – but there are circumstances, and this is certainly one, where it is not only sensible but really essential to enshrine what to most of us is simply common sense in legislation.

Anything that prevents others going through the grief and distress John Marquand’s family and friends experienced must be worth doing and so the Seneschal’s recommendations are both proper and worthwhile.

Last week saw the pride of Sark’s gardens displayed at the Grand Autumn Show at the Island Hall – and in this beholder’s eyes, everything looked to be well up to the customary high standard.

I don’t know how Sark’s garden and farm produce shows compare with similar events elsewhere, but each time I attend the summer and autumn shows here I marvel at the skill and patience of the exhibitors. The exhibits clearly give a good deal of pleasure to those who grow and make them and they can be assured that an equal amount of pleasure is enjoyed by the very many – like me – who simply stand and look.

All age ranges are involved and it is particularly pleasing to see the encouragement given by the shows’ committee to younger exhibitors – something that hopefully bodes well for the future.

I began this column on a sombre note and, sadly, I end it in a similar vein by recording the untimely and unexpected death of long-time Sark resident Tom Long. I am writing this just a couple of hours after Tom’s funeral – a service attended by so many who knew and loved him that it was standing room only at St Peter’s Anglican Church.

Tom can truly be described as one of Sark’s characters – a man whose sometimes-blunt comments were so often tempered by displays of a dry sense of humour. Tom died at his home on Monday morning and, as is customary, the island’s building sites came to a standstill on Wednesday for his funeral.

Everyone’s sympathy is with his wife, Ann, and their sons and other members of the family. He was a skilled craftsman whose work with wood will be sorely missed, as will the chats he had with those who passed his workshop.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.