LITTLE by little, Sark is being forced to adjust to the outside world. Following the first open elections of Chief Pleas and an end to its feudal state the island is now considering splitting the roles of the Seneschal.

The historic position – it dates back to 1576 – whereby the same person acts both as judge and parliamentary speaker is, if Chief Pleas agrees, to be divided in two.

The judge part would retain the title of Seneschal while a new position of President of Chief Pleas is to be created for the role of chair(wo)man or speaker.

The latter role is a radical departure. The proposing committee states that ‘Chief Pleas will demonstrate that the President has its full confidence and empowers the President to act as Chief Pleas representative to the outside world’.

That sounds like a whole lot more than just asking someone to chair a few meetings, set the agenda and keep order. Indeed, General Purposes and Advisory says it is keen to ‘strengthen the role and enhance its prestige’.

As with all things in Sark politics, these changes will not be without their difficulties.

For starters, it will not have escaped the attention of the residents of Brecqhou (who are primarily responsible for moving Sark along this path) that the unelected Seigneur still has a key role in all this. He chooses who should join him on an appointments panel, interviews candidates and then appoints the Seneschal who gets an, as yet, unknown term of office.

None of that will go down well.

Secondly, it is not clear who will stand for the prestigious position of President.

Conseillers, we are told, would not be eligible. But they are exactly the type of person who might like to be President, would have an understanding of the nuances and rules of the parliament and would have the respect of its members.

It would seem then that an ambitious conseiller would first have to resign his or her seat to stand for President. Lose the subsequent election and you are out in the cold.

For those keen on public office it would be a big gamble.