‘King of Everland’ cut off from power
THE self-styled King of Everland has accused Guernsey Electricity of wanting to see him and his daughter ‘living in Third World conditions’ after it refused to supply power to his land.
Steve Ogier, who declared Everland a ‘micro-nation’ within Guernsey, said that the utility company has refused even to supply power to the border.
‘They would rather see me and my eight-year-old daughter live in Third World conditions,’ he wrote on his Facebook page.
Comments on the page suggested he use solar power, but Mr Ogier replied that he had a generator which he will use for the time being.
A Royal Court order against Mr Ogier prohibited him from continuing to develop the land, and he said that was the reason GE had given for refusing to supply power.
But not all utilities have reacted this way: ‘Guernsey Water has connected me to their supply,’ he told the Guernsey Press.
‘Guernsey Electricity has so far refused due to the court order, even though I have explained they have no jurisdiction over Everland.’
He also said that post addressed to Everland has been returned to the senders, even though he said he had spoken to Guernsey Post twice in an effort to ensure things were all right.
‘Great service Guernsey Post,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you for your complete lack of effort in contacting me.’
A Guernsey Post spokesman said it would look into the problem. ‘We understand that a delivery point has now been erected at the location in question, and we will be undertaking a site visit to investigate whether we are able to deliver to the site safely.’
Guernsey Electricity head of energy solutions Vincent Smith confirmed that there was no supply to Everland.
‘We understand that there is a court order in place which prevents development at the property, which would include the installation of an electricity supply,’ he said.
Mr Ogier declared Everland – an area of land off Ruette du Frocq in Castel – independent from Guernsey last May, but in October faced Royal Court proceedings when the Development & Planning Authority sought an injunction against him continuing to develop the site.
He is hoping to build a home on the site, but under planning laws he would not be able to do so.
Several compliance notices have been served against Mr Ogier.
In the Royal Court he argued that under the terms of the Montevideo Convention of 1933 concerning the rights and duties of states, Everland was an independent state and as such he did not recognise the Guernsey court’s jurisdiction.
He lost the case, but said he would appeal to the United Nations.
‘I am about to write a letter to the court asking them to drop the case because it is unfounded as Planning has no authority there,’ he said.
‘Everland’s validity cannot be disputed. If they can’t accept that then they must take Everland to an international court for a “fair trial that is impartial”.’
Mr Ogier said he did not intend to lodge an appeal against the compliance notices. ‘They were never valid. I sent a letter telling Planning that.
‘I have over 200 world-wide Everlandian citizens. I know I am acting totally within the law so I will continue no matter what.
‘Should the few Guernsey authorities that are against me continuing break the law and act against me, it is they that will be the law-breakers.’
