‘I want to throw money at finance’
THROWING money at the body which promotes Guernsey’s finance sector is one of the priorities of the new president of Economic Development, Neil Inder.
He beat the incumbent, Deputy Charles Parkinson, for the post by 20 votes to 18.
He pitched himself as the candidate of change and action, and Deputy Parkinson referred to his track record and need for continuity.
In his speech, Deputy Inder revealed that he wanted to make VisitGuernsey a private enterprise, and he wanted to ‘throw money’ at the agency that markets the finance sector.
‘We will work with Guernsey Finance to consider their three-year business plan for uplifting funding, we will look at Guernsey Finance’s feet on the ground, and if they want offices in various locations to support our finance industry we will deliver that.
‘The review will recognise that £2.4m. plus staff costs to VisitGuernsey is a disproportionate commitment compared to Guernsey Finance’s only £1.5m. – that needs rectifying in a real and meaningful way.
‘There is an argument to me to have VisitGuernsey out of government completely to the private sector, and I am clearly warm to that.’
Deputy Inder also said he was in favour of change of use permissions for hotels and self-catering units where they were no longer needed or where it would help the economy.
Making Guernsey a great place to do business was another priority of Deputy Inder’s and he said he would knock down the walls between States committees.
He railed against the processes that were ‘killing progress’ and the to-ing and fro-ing of letters between committees that wasted months.
‘The levers of the economy do not necessarily lie with the committee of Economic Development – population management, property portfolio, education, environment, planning, and Aurigny all lie elsewhere.
‘Time is of the essence and if we have to bypass more formal processes of government then that is what we need to do.’
Deputy Inder indicating that he would support a rise in the population if it helped the economy.
Tomorrow, Deputy Inder is expected to recommend Deputies Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, Steve Falla, Simon Vermeulen, Chris Blin and possibly Nick Moakes to be his committee members.
Deputy Inder was nominated by Deputy Peter Ferbrache.
