IN A news item last week about the regulations which govern public declaration of deputies’ interests, one member of the States Assembly and Constitution Committee (Sacc) suggested that she might inquire where civil servants stand on declaring any interests they might have.

It is an interesting suggestion – although not immediately clear where it is heading.

Yes, officials, far more than any States member, are responsible for developing policy and extending the remit of government. At best, political boards merely select from a smorgasbord of options, most of which cost more money.

Equally, there is no suggestion that any untoward influence or vested interests affect the process here. In fact, quite the reverse. The Wales Audit Office was pleasantly surprised at how free government in Guernsey is of allegations of corruption, unlike other jurisdictions it has investigated.

What is far more significant, however, is the influence of shared beliefs, of common understandings that all essentially tribal systems possess.

Recognising that and countering it is far more of a challenge to alter, irrespective of how many declaration forms are filled in.

It is one reason why, unlike probably any other government, the response to zero-10 followed by the global recession has been felt by taxpayers and consumers but not by the administration.

Guernsey doesn’t do public sector cuts or redundancies. Most deputies have no idea how to put that into practice and rely on official advice, which is that it is too difficult, too expensive, too… well, whatever makes it go away.

Similarly with the long overdue reform of the States pension scheme. Considerable ingenuity is being brought to bear on how not to do anything, irrespective of what happens in the UK.

It is a safe bet that the ‘make haste slowly’ herd instinct has seen the – until recently – steady rise in stock markets and consequent increase in the value of the superannuation scheme as a reason to do nothing, irrespective of the mounting evidence to to contrary from Guernsey Post, Guernsey Electricity and, even worse, from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.

The real issue for Sacc to investigate is who’s looking after the taxpayer’s interests.