Overseas Aid against efforts to protect funds

It handed back £1m. in April to help during the pandemic and it now proposed its budget is cut by 25% for 2021 to £2.32m.

Overseas Aid president Chris Blin has previously said he would hope the budget would be restored in future years.

But other deputies want to go further.

Deputies Gavin St Pier and Peter Roffey have submitted an amendment to have £831,000 transferred from general revenue to the Overseas Aid Impact Investment Fund.

While another amendment by Deputies St Pier and Lindsay de Sausmarez calls for the 2022 budget for overseas aid be returned to previously agreed levels.

Deputy Blin has discussed both amendments with the commissioners of the OA&DC who are agreed that, while they appreciate the spirit with which they have been presented, the current economic challenges and uncertainty mean it would not be right to support them.

‘We need to make sure that we do everything we can to put Guernsey’s own finances back on a secure footing, and on a path to recovery,’ he said.

‘Our commitment to helping those in the least developed countries should take a longer term view than just a single year’s budget. It is by growing our own economy and building back better that we best ensure we can remain committed to overseas aid, and that we can meet the long-term targets set by previous States.’

He said while they were grateful to the deputies for showing support for overseas aid, but the commissioners could not support them.

‘Amendment six goes back on the agreed budget reduction and would deprive the general revenue account of £831,000 which was surrendered by the OADC to assist our community in meeting the very serious economic challenges Guernsey now faces,’ Deputy Blin said.

‘Amendment seven requests that the Assembly debate 2022’s funding levels prematurely. We have been working closely with the Policy & Resources Committee, which has gratefully accepted the reduction of next year’s budget and have confirmed that the start point for 2022 funding will be in line with the previously agreed commitments as per amendment seven.’

. DEPUTY John Dyke has refuted suggestions he is acting like the Sheriff of Nottingham.

It was contained in a comment piece by Deputy Gavin St Pier in yesterday’s Guernsey Press in reference to Deputy Dyke’s amendment to the Budget on charitable contributions and another to the annual benefit uprating report which would reduce the proposed benefit limitation, which caps the total amount of weekly income a family claiming income support can receive.

‘The description of the amendment to the charitable contribution rules that I am proposing is totally inaccurate. There is no tax deduction for rich donors of any sort.

‘The Income Tax Law operates so as to provide for a matching 25% contribution from the States for personal donations of £500 to £5,000 annually . My proposition is to lift the cap to £7,500. The benefit goes to the charities. There is no benefit to the donor.

‘This is a serious error.’