Speaking at the launch of the Voice of Guernsey Business Report, Chamber of Commerce president Stephen Rouxel said there was a clear steer from the business community on how they expected their deputies to behave.
‘And it was very clear that those behaviours had been absent,’ he said.
‘If politicians start to act with demonstrable integrity and can collaborate, I think that will go a long way to rebuilding the trust that the electorate has lost.’
The report, published by the G8, which comprises the Chamber of Commerce, Guernsey International Business Association, Hospitality Association, Construction Forum, Institute of Directors, Guernsey Retail Group, Confederation of Guernsey Industry, and the Association of Guernsey Charities, has been produced to help shape the political agenda ahead of the 2025 general election.
It sets out a call to action on six critical policy areas where the G8 believe urgent political leadership is needed to secure the island’s economic and social future.
That includes the need for more reliable, affordable air links, more housing to help retain staff and greater investment in education.
Mr Rouxel said that while they had asked about the critical issues facing the island, what had been clear from the additional comments was that members had not been impressed with the way the States had behaved over the last four years.
‘The behaviours that we pulled out in the report all came from all the commentary,’ he said.
‘It wasn’t just members saying here’s the policy we want, but we also want deputies who are going to be respectful.
‘We don’t need politicians who can speak loudly and confidently on topics that people just want to hear about. We need people who can collaborate, act with integrity, make decisions and get things done.’
‘We did not see much of that in the last term.
‘In fact, it was the complete opposite, a complete lack of collaboration, which is one of the reasons why collaboration is forefront of our reports and our thinking.’
The reports findings are drawn from a survey of nearly 400 respondents across 20 sectors and organisations of all sizes.
While the survey finds consensus from members in many areas, from the need for urgent action in housing, connectivity and education there were contrasting views regarding the introduction of GST with members split almost exactly 50/50.
‘But the one thing that they we are very clear on as a group, is any candidate who stands against GST, the current proposition that has been voted through, must be incredibly clear on any alternative measures,’ Mr Rouxel said. ‘Saying no to something is not a policy. It is an absence of a policy.’
However Mr Rouxel said the business community understood that fiscal reform was necessary but what that reform looks like was still open to debate, but there was broad agreement within the G8 that a package of revenue raising measures balanced with policies to protect the more vulnerable people in society was needed.
‘So if any candidate wants to come forward and be credible - they must demonstrate how they will raise revenue. We are quite clear - You cannot cut your way through this without cutting the entirety of the health budget or the education budget.’
‘We want to ensure people understand that there is a fiscal deficit that been there for over a decade now. We want the electorate to really think about what they’re voting for.’
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