Time for a long, hard think?

Look at its cast list of directors – former lawyer, trade spokesman and politician Lord Digby Jones, leading private equity investor Jon Moulton, successful local entrepreneur Connie Helyar-Wilkinson, and well-known local director Susie Crowder, who has put her stamp on various island initiatives over the years.

The first two men have particularly backed Guernsey by choosing to move to the island and have never been shy to sing its praises. All four are hugely able individuals.

They have established a ‘think tank’ with the laudable vision of helping Guernsey to prosper for the benefit of all, by promoting efficient government, effective decision-making, based on facts and considered research, taking all stakeholders into account.

Now perhaps they’re asking questions typically filed in the ‘too difficult’ drawer.

But Gpeg appears to have developed the knack of either silencing or enraging those they choose to investigate or comment on.

Reasoned reports on the state of the public sector pension scheme and the seemingly opaque nature of States accounts appear not to have particularly stirred anyone in the upper echelons of government, nor, indeed, taxpayers contributing on both counts.

But a possibly ill-advised venture into the development of anti-discrimination legislation in the island has certainly got the group noticed. And maybe not in the way it might have wished, given its use of ‘fake news’ and claims of ‘abuse’ in its latest press statement. Certainly social media responses have not been kind.

Gpeg appears keen not to let this issue drop. But business concerns have already been raised on the issue, and, some would say, addressed. And at present, Gpeg appears to have entered that debate without having done much in the way of ‘considered research’, rather indicating that it intends to look at various issues.

Gpeg set out wishing to ‘make a real difference to life in Guernsey going forward, building on the #GuernseyTogether spirit’.

Is Guernsey ready for such a think tank? And, perhaps more pertinently, does anyone want to hear it?