Lt-Governor's role is tied to our community
THE job title of the Lt-Governor of Guernsey includes being both the ‘personal representative and impartial adviser’ to Her Majesty The Queen.
No doubt the island’s new Lt-Governor will respect that crucial part of his new role, while generally hoping that the need for impartial advice will be rarely called for.
If he wasn’t before, following the pomp and ceremony of his swearing-in yesterday, Lt-General Richard Cripwell will now know the significance of the challenge he is taking on for the next five years.
Leading the parade into Town from Government House, and seeing children gathered at the roadside – captured in our front page photograph today – he said, was a moment when his role in island life became real.
‘I think the enormity of the role started to make itself felt when I saw that, and I think you just realise you are part of something bigger,’ he said later in the day.
Aside from executive roles including the control of immigration, deportation, naturalisation and the issuing of passports, licensing shipping services between Sark, Alderney and Guernsey, and being a primary point of contact with the UK authorities, Lt-General Cripwell will learn that the Lt-Governor job is largely what the incumbent will make of it.
The passion and interest the post-holder shows in their new island home, both on the formal occasions when the Lt-Governor represents the Queen, and at those many times when Lt-General Cripwell and wife Louise will be fulfilling that part of the role which involves ‘promoting and playing an active part in the social and charitable affairs of the Bailiwick, and promoting community activity in these areas’, will be reciprocated by islanders.
Lt-General Cripwell has served his country all over the world. But he seems happy to settle in Guernsey for the next five years.
‘Why on earth would you take this job if you weren’t excited about being with people and being part of the community?’ he said yesterday.
Over recent years a succession of Lt-Governors have embraced our community and become very much a part of it. Islanders will now offer very best wishes to the Lt-Governor and Mrs Cripwell for a happy, healthy and engaging stay in the island.