Progress on priorities is only the start

The ITN newsreader wanted to know how many of the directors present knew what was Economic Development’s vision for the island’s future.

Out of the hundreds present, only a few put up their hands. Mr Stewart was shocked – a strategy passed in June and intended to see the island through some turbulent times had largely passed by the business community.

One of the reasons offered at the time was that the vision lacked focus. The ‘20 actions to promote stronger growth’ was just too broad to register in the public consciousness.

It is a valid view. Like the Policy & Resource plan there comes a point when hard choices have to be made. When everything is listed there is no real sense of direction, certainly not for the public and probably not for deputies.

Next week’s States debate offers Economic Development a chance of redemption. Thanks to an amendment approved in June they are returning to the Assembly with an enhanced strategy.

Nothing has been dropped, there are still 20 priorities. But this time at least we know what the key issues are, and when we might see solutions.

To that end, seven are now marked as ‘critical’: air and sea links; a telecom strategy; growth and diversification of the finance sector; a digital framework; a skills action plan; and a seafront enhancement plan.

With the exception of the seafront plan, all have some form of timeframe. All being well the committee will be able to show progress within a year on six of the seven critical areas.

Some, like last week’s skills action plan, are already up and running. The air and sea links objectives plan has been published and will go the States soon.

So there is welcome momentum. But before popping the champagne it should be remembered that this is a list of frameworks, strategies and timeframes.

Only when those lists become plans, and those plans result in action, and that brings change for the better, can the island consider anything real has been achieved.