Sark rejects having a full-time civil servant

SARK'S divided government narrowly voted against appointing a full-time civil servant despite warnings that failure to do so could force outside intervention.

Yesterday's controversial decision to reject the proposals to employ an executive administrator for Sark came amid some fears that the island could effectively become a parish of Guernsey.

Others warned that outside forces could step in in the absence of what is widely considered as the next step in major governmental reforms for the island after it introduced democracy.

Members of the General Purposes and Advisory Committee are now considering their positions after their administrator proposal was defeated by a single vote, but did not resign en-masse, as it had been rumoured.