Deputy Andy Sloan accused P&R of ‘a lot of messing about with very little to show for it’, saying that if Guernsey is going to bring in a consumption tax then it needs to raise a decent amount of money from it.
He said the committee’s proposals do not solve the problems set out in their own policy letter.
‘Their own figures show that under this package by 2030 we will have just as big a funding gap as we do today.’
Deputy Sloan said a 10% GST would be needed to provide a genuine long-term solution to Guernsey’s structural deficit given the demographic trends set out in the policy letter. But he also thinks there needs to be a complete change of culture regarding States spending.
‘I do get the demographics, yes, that’s real, but there is also a culture of always spending more, another quarter of a million pounds here and there and no one really questions it.’
Deputy Sloan was also highly critical of colleagues who campaigned against a GST but are now likely to vote in favour of one.
‘That lack of honesty is what drives people mad about modern politics and it certainly leaves a sour taste in my mouth.’
He is still considering whether to ‘vote for the package through gritted teeth’ in order to start to address Guernsey’s public funding issues, or whether to place an amendment to provide an alternative.
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