Charity should begin at home

This will be funded by raised taxes.

We are already being taxed heavily on fuel, TRP and goodness knows what else, so the Guernsey people are once again being held over a barrel by do-gooder States members, many of them lumbering us with stupid vanity projects before they get kicked out of office at the next election.

I have to ask, where was the public consultation on this? Did the deputies go out to the people who put them in power to find out their views?

Of course they didn’t because they know perfectly well the answer that the vast majority of people would have given them.

This Assembly really does earn the ‘worst States ever’ title by a long way.

I must say that a lot of people I am in contact with are sick to death of our government and the shenanigans inside the civil service, such as the ‘jobs for the boys’ mentality which seems to prevail, the disastrous harbour appointments, the tragedy of JESCC, all these things which have cost us hundreds of thousands of pounds.

We are having people saying, ‘Why do we have to have an MOT when the Isle of Man has refused to sign up to the Vienna Convention?’ and that is a perfectly valid question – have we just rolled over and had our tummy tickled yet again?

We are seeing the ‘yellow tabard’ protests in France and there are many, myself included, who are wondering whether we should also block the streets in protest. Many people have said they are proud to be Guernsey residents but feel totally let down by the States and the civil service. They can find £21m. for Overseas Aid yet we have people waiting over a year for orthopaedic operations, yet amazingly if you have money or private insurance you will be sorted in three weeks.

How about we put Guernsey residents first for a change? Many give generously to foreign aid privately, so let charity begin at home.

Perhaps if the 22 deputies feel that strongly about Overseas Aid they will donate their wages to it and do their States work for free?

No, didn’t think they would either, but it’s a different matter when the money is taken out of our pockets by compulsory means.

TREVOR HOCKEY,

Trev’s Motorcycles.

Editor’s footnote: Deputy Emilie Yerby and Deputy Mark Dorey respond jointly:

Your reader’s letter is factually inaccurate. The States has not agreed to invest £21m. in Overseas Aid. The States has agreed that the Overseas Aid & Development Commission should investigate whether it would be possible to raise Guernsey’s spend on international development to any degree and, if so, how any additional funds should be used.

Proposals will be put to the States in spring 2019, and members of the public will have the opportunity to share their views at that time.

It has been our consistent experience that, despite certain strong views on social media, the majority of Guernsey people are quietly supportive of Overseas Aid and value the positive impact it has on some of the world’s poorest communities.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Overseas Aid budget for 2019 is £2.96m. This is only 0.6% of government income (budgeted at £467m. for 2019) – in other words, just half a penny for every pound paid in tax – and less than 0.1% of Guernsey’s national wealth (the latest estimate of Guernsey’s GDP is £3,050m.).

Many countries meet or aspire to meet the minimum contribution level agreed by the United Nations, which is 0.7% of national wealth.