In questions following the committee’s update, Alderney representative Edward Hill asked that, given Victor Hugo’s values, whether it would be wise to divert some funds designated for overseas aid into the new centre to both invest in the future of overseas aid and create greater understanding of the need for international aid.
Commission president Jennifer Strachan said that the committee was acting under an existing mandate, and such a move was not included in what it was mandated to do.
‘Mr Hill certainly highlights one of the amazing important parts of the upcoming Victor Hugo Centre, and it’s that it’s that nuance that Hugo brings to all these issues, which I think makes him so fascinating as a topic to celebrate,’ she said.
‘We have a specific mandate right now, which is acting under a 2019 policy that followed a strategic review.
‘We can certainly look at different ways to approach that and to support those efforts, because I think they are very important.’
Deputy Strachan was also asked by Home Affairs president Marc Leadbeater about the link between social media commentary in the lead up to the tax reform debate on stopping overseas aid and ‘stopping the boats’.
He asked Deputy Strachan whether she agreed that the two were related, with overseas aid going to mitigate the reasons that people might migrate.
She said that she was not aware of the social media conversation, but could imagine it was easy to look at money being sent away and the different opinions that may arise.
‘We, as a jurisdiction, need to understand that this is a reflection of our values, and it’s a reflection of how we want to be seen in the world.
‘There’s also practical sides of why we want to continue with the budget that we have, and continue the resolution to actually get to 0.2% of GDP by 2030.
‘I’ve already had discussions with Guernsey Finance when they’re speaking to colleagues who are going to South Africa.
‘They really value the fact that we are active in Africa and are supporting that continent.’
Deputy Neil Inder asked whether less money was going to larger disasters, such as in Venezuela, and whether Guernsey was contributing to events which had less of a profile.
Deputy Strachan said that when awarding emergency relief grant, every measure is taken to ensure money does not get lost in the system.
She said that the countries or events which have a lower profile tend to be those in the lower quartile of the United Nations human development index, which assesses development through indicators including health, education and income.
The commission said it focuses on countries at the bottom of the UNHDI, and therefore generally supports the lower-profile disasters.
Sasha Kazantseva-Miller suggested that OA&DC, like its Jersey counterpart, should try to link its aid programmes back to the skills and expertise that the island has.
She said Jersey links the Jersey cow and the dairy by setting up farming programmes in Africa.
Deputy Strachan said Jersey had a budget four times the size of her commission’s.
‘They have a much larger staff, which then can run those larger programmes. With a limited staff, there’s limited scope for what we can do.
‘We are definitely working on that, both on the skills side, in terms of what can contribute, as well as on whether we would look to having that hematic approach that Jersey does.’