Time for deputies to front up on tax

As we have already said, the key players in this debate are not necessarily the angry Guernsey public – though they may have significant sway behind the scenes – but the deputies, who cannot walk away from making some decision in this tax review. And if they will not support a goods and services tax, those States members will surely have to do something to recognise the demographic and tax issues facing government and islanders in the very near future.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache’s multi-faceted interview said much more between the lines. As he said: ‘I would say there’s probably more opposition in the States. I haven’t gone and asked them, so I don’t know if they’ve rationalised it like the public have done.’ Could be translated as: ‘Don’t go into hiding colleagues, just to come out on the day and vote our proposals down. Because if you don’t have any other positive ideas on making or saving money, you’re no use to the tax review panel, and no use to the voters.’

The Chief Minister may, even at this early stage, be slightly perturbed at the levels of opposition to GST, and, indeed, anything else, within his own ranks.

Going back to committees and asking what services they would cut in the absence of new revenue-raising measures is a tactic unlikely to achieve much – to place a sword of Damocles over Heritage Services, to select something at random, is arguably no more meaningful than saying that £85m. is the entire budget for Education, Sport & Culture, as if all States schools will be closed any time soon.

It’s a bid, as the Chief Minister said, to ‘focus minds’. Service cuts may be identified, but as you are unlikely to go ahead with [most of] them, colleagues, can I bring you back to what matters?

Whatever the views held, maybe the public is proving to be prepared to engage in the tax review discussion. They need to bring the deputies along with them too.