Sark’s civil servant sets out proposals for island reform
Thursday 14th March 2013, 5:00PM GMT.
REFORM proposals from Sark’s first full-time civil servant were published yesterday.
Two of the reports written by Colin Kniveton, pictured, were posted on the Chief Pleas website.
Proposals in the two reports published yesterday – one on the number of committees and another on the civil service set-up – included:
- the creation of three ‘key’ full-time positions as part of a public sector support team. This would be headed by a senior administrator and also include a treasurer and assessor/collector of taxes.
- consolidating the current 16 committees down to six, with an additional ‘chairmen’s committee’ similar to Guernsey’s Policy Council.
All of Mr Kniveton’s work is currently with GP&A, which will decide how many recommendations it takes to Chief Pleas for a final decision.
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Sounds as though the bureaucracy is just starting. No doubt it will continue to expand until there has to be cut-backs in the future!
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There would appear to be much to commend in Colin Kniveton’s two reports. Unfortunately some people have already dismissed them possibly without considering the detail.
Above all Sark must invest in its own future. Therefore Chief Pleas must invest in creating the framework to facilitate this. The hard working, volunteer Conseillers desperately need administrative support and assistance. They must be allowed to get on with the job that they were elected to do – to govern and lead. To be strong and decisive.
The economy must take priority. Unfortunately one major investor – the elephant in the room – has clouded the rational judgement of some people. Some want to destroy the economy and then, surprise, surprise offer to rescue it on their terms.
Chief Pleas must not allow this to happen. Sark must maintain its right to self determination and decide its own future. This must involve managing change on Sark’s terms, not ignoring change and allowing others to dictate change on their terms.
Be brave and stay strong Sark. More blizzards ahead but the future can be really bright.
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BEWARE SARKEES,
You have started the rot and it will be hard to stop.
You have appointed A CIVIL SERVANT and already he is advocating expanding and creating three more, each will have need to create junior civil servants and staff to assist them and spread their workload that they will create with unnecessary bureaucracy.
Soon your taxes will rise to pay for them all and you will have a rolling millstone around your necks.
In no time at all you will have more civil servants than you have Chief Pleas and they will rule the roost.
YOU`RE DOOMED I TELL YOU, DOOMED.
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Many people on the island will not bother to read the reports/recommendations, and that is a fact, all of the Conseillers can say “Read it all, then make a decisions” but the reality is that alot won,t, as they simply are not intrested, do not have a time or simple will find it to complex to understand.
But what alot of people WILL be worrying about is that their taxes are going to go up to pay for it, (this is the prelevent view) and with the present way that the tax system here is capped to a certain level, many families that are struggling at present will feel very agrieved about the fact that they are going to have to find more tax money out of less yearly income to meet this increase, whilst the rich here don,t have to worry as there is a maximum limit that the island can tax any individual,( and when you have alot of money in the bank, an extra couple of hundred a year is of no consequence).
This is something that alot of people on the island are saying, that said I personally have had two wealthy individuals say to me that they wouldn,t mind paying more tax to cover the “Administrators” wages,, well bully for you,but your part time gardener would, your carter would, the shop assistant would.. and there lies the problem.
Many islanders feel that those in CP do a good job, but they do not have the financial contriants of many of the working families,or that they truly understand just how expensive it is to raise a family here, IF maybe a few of CP looked at that they might have some understanding of why people are so resistant to having an Administator. ALL the public see is more tax =even less money.
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