States must be forward-looking

Surely what the island needs now, more than ever, is a progressive and forward-looking States.

What we seem to be stuck with is the opposite – restrictive and repressive legislation often producing on-going costs and staffing requirements, which do little to contribute to the island’s commercial future and success.

We see committees spending eons of time producing highly individual policies, inevitably being rightly challenged when they are brought to the States, two shining examples being the Education fiasco and Population and Migration still hanging on to outdated policies which can only hold the island back. For example continuing with the ludicrous five-year licence, which is, of course, in effect no more than a three-year licence and which has only served to deter high-quality professionals in the field of health, education, police etc. from taking up posts in the island.

I also believe it does little if anything to exercise population control and is entirely negative in its effect, as is the proposed method of dealing with the very necessary short-term guest workers.

It is definitely time for the States to wake up and focus on what should be their real raison d’etre, i.e. creating a prosperous and successful Guernsey, and forget all their social engineering ambitions.

TONY WEAVER,

Address withheld.