States should cut renewable diesel tax

THANK YOU Guernsey Press for bringing to light the disgraceful amount of duty levied on the Rubis RD100 renewable diesel. Now, I acknowledge that taxes need to be found to support our health services, law enforcement, schools etc., but my argument would be that by using and promoting renewable diesel, which emits a much lower amount of pollution and harmful gases, the trade-off of having cleaner air would assist those with asthma and other breathing problems which in the long term would save the health services money. What is the point of Guernsey signing up to international agreements, Paris, Kyoto etc., if our government actively promotes the use of ‘dirtier’ diesel through high taxation of a much cleaner product? I voted for the Guernsey Party at the last election en masse so I would like to see Treasury Lead Deputy Mark Helyar do the right thing for the environment and the island by significantly reducing the recent tax of 63.4p. RD100 is not a usual bio fuel, it is a top quality renewable product, quite expensive to produce and ship to the Channel Islands, hence the higher price. Many people are angry at the hypocritical stance being taken by the States of Guernsey in this matter, perhaps some deputies would like to spend some time talking to customers on my fuel pumps and defend their actions?