But they admitted that they had a sinking feeling that this was going to be the time for the Policy & Resources Committee to win the day.
‘Unfortunately this means for Guernsey, with my housing hat on, it means two or three years’ worth of high inflation, and inflation is going to go up and up and up because GST will go from 3 to 4 to 5%, and that’s going to be a real tough time,’ said Deputy Garry Collins.
‘We explored all the options, did everything we could to bring other things to members. But the States are now going to have some more money coming in, and we’re going to spend a lot of money. As I predicted, in four years’ time, we’ll have a funding gap if we don’t control our expenditure. If we increase our income and just increase our expenditure we’re in a loop and we’re not going to break that gap, and we’ll be here again.’
Deputy Rob Curgenven was also a leading voice against P&R’s proposals.
‘You could see it coming,’ he said, ‘and I’m very disappointed and sad for the 9,000 people who signed the petition and the 1,000 emails that we got. I feel sorry for them because they weren’t listened to.’
There was some criticism of the ferocity of the campaign levied against GST-supporting deputies which culminated in abuse on the steps of the Royal Court yesterday morning.
Deputy Curgenven said this had been the wrong thing to do.
‘However I can understand why people would feel the need to do that because they just don’t feel listened to. They don’t feel that the politicians are listening to them – they’re upset and they’re angry and they have every right to be. But that doesn’t justify abusive behaviour.’
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