Volunteers could be 'death warrant of democratic reform'
THE use of volunteers by Chief Pleas could be 'signing the death warrant of democratic reform', an island campaign group has said.
An open letter from Sark Action for Families and Employment raised a number of concerns following the recent meeting of Chief Pleas at which a number of reforms, including the creation of an economic development committee, were approved.
The group said one of the most worrying aspects was the intention to place a huge emphasis on volunteers supporting committees instead of professional civil servants.
'The recruitment and retention of volunteers is very different to that of paid staff and the motivators are also entirely different,' the group said. 'Volunteers are motivated by an enthusiasm to support perceived views and to maintain and expand an existing system, working in many cases alongside friends.
