Island 'facing job crisis' with as many as 3,000 vacancies
A MEMBER of Economic Development has claimed there could be as many as 3,000 job vacancies in Guernsey.
Deputy Nick Moakes told the States the island was facing ‘a jobs crisis’.
‘There are probably somewhere between 1,000 and 3,000 open job positions on the island. It’s completely unsustainable and unacceptable,’ he said.
Deputy Moakes blamed housing shortages.
‘I’ve made a number of speeches and written a number of articles now about the urgent need for more housing. Everyone seems to agree but very little seems to happen.’
He called on the Assembly to ‘supercharge private and social house-building’.
His committee president Neil Inder said that Guernsey’s economy was ‘doing well’. But he warned that numerous industries were reporting a high level of vacancies, which he said was holding back economic growth, and urged more action on housing.
‘I think key to that is Leale’s Yard,’ said Deputy Inder.
‘I would encourage the Policy & Resources Committee, if there is something to unlock, to come back to this House and get that out of the ground. We need those houses built quickly.’
The Environment & Infrastructure Committee published a housing action plan yesterday which it hopes will lead to everyone in Guernsey having access to good-quality housing which is affordable, secure, energy efficient and adequate for their needs.
‘So few people in the Assembly seem to be aware of what we have published,’ said E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez.
‘For the first time it gives us an evidence base. It sets out what the problems are, especially in the context of other jurisdictions.
‘Most importantly, it also provides the solutions with evidence-based recommendations scheduled into a work plan and these are what our committee and other committees have agreed to address.’
She encouraged deputies to read the action plan.
Deputy Moakes said the island’s failure on housing meant the States was raising less tax than it should be.
‘1,000 open positions is equal to circa £7-8m. in tax every year. And that doesn’t include the incremental spend in our local shops and restaurants. 3,000 open positions is equal to £21-24m. in tax every year,’ he said.
‘While it won’t fill the fiscal deficit, it will certainly help to fund some of the critical initiatives the island wants to invest in or needs to invest in.’
Deputy Inder claimed the island’s retail sector was healthy but also in need of more workers.
‘Currently the retail sector is doing rather well,' he said.
'We’ve got better occupancy levels compared to the UK. They run at around 10%; we’re running at around 7%. There’s a healthy churn across the two main sites of St Peter Port and St Sampson’s,’ said Deputy Inder.
‘The retail group tells us there are some 250 vacancies... we can’t necessarily develop all of them in Guernsey and we need a few more people in the island.’
