Guernsey Press

It's about community, not nationality

IT IS easy to underestimate just how significant last week’s election of a first Latvian national into public office in Guernsey actually is. Evita Bormane attracted little more than 100 votes to become a St Peter Port douzenier, but that is mere detail. This is all about the signal this sends.

Published

Not necessarily for other Latvians – or indeed any other nationality – to pursue public office, although there is no reason for that not to grow. But more because Ms Bormane’s success is a tangible reflection of something not always easy to demonstrate – a sense of belonging.

It is now little more than 20 years since Latvian nationals started arriving in significant numbers, largely to take up jobs in lower-paid industries. They were escaping economic decline in their home country, families were separating to be able to give their children a better standard of living and improve their own lives.

Last week Lilita Kruze, honorary consul for Latvia in Guernsey and a longstanding champion of Latvians in the island, published an English translation of her book, Latvians in Guernsey.

It tells a mixed story of how economic migrants came to the island to benefit their families back home. In most cases their existence was work-sleep-work. They literally lived to labour.

That is changing. The pandemic and Brexit have seen hundreds of Eastern Europeans leave the island. Brexit rules and visa requirements also mean fewer are coming here. And as working and living conditions have improved over time, the opportunity for more ‘free time’ has emerged.

Has integration between the Latvian and wider Eastern European community in our island been all it should? Evita Bormane’s success can be taken as a sign that change is possible and happening.

In an environment where few Latvians even vote, partly because they do not believe they have the right or opportunity, for one to stand takes great courage. ‘It is about the community, not the nationality,’ she said.

Ms Bormane’s success is an opportunity to celebrate integration, to respect the role the Latvian community plays in the island, and a reminder to do more to encourage widespread integration and involvement in island life.