Let us all say a resounding NO to GST

Not so long ago we had a bloated civil service and autocratic politicians telling us the only way to sort out our waste problem was a massive incinerator.

Well the people of Guernsey told the government bureaucrats that in a democracy they are here to serve the people and not to swell their own bullying ranks enforcing diktats which go against the wishes of the majority. And now Guernsey is top of the league in recycling with no need for an incinerator.

It is time for the people once again to tell the government that they must think again as we don’t want GST/VAT – just look at the UK to see where that goes (currently 20%, always rising, rarely falling).

We are told that a black hole looms in our finances – by the same people who one year recently predicted an annual shortfall of the odd £30m. or so only to find at year’s end that we were more than £30m. in the black.

At the same time as telling us the only way out of the present black hole is to keep digging, this administration gaily votes for the most expensive and impractical upgrade of Alderney’s airport – blithely costed at £24m. (a snip which, like any civil engineering project, will end up at least twice that price cf. the Scottish Parliament building which finished 10 – yes 10 – times over budget).

Don’t get me wrong I love Alderney and its airport runway facilities are in dire need of an upgrade, but a longer runway so Aurigny can lose even more money flying half empty 74-seater ATRs into Alderney for a population of just 2,102 cannot be right – you do the maths. By that logic Guernsey would need servicing by A380s.

And who believes that building a £90m. new berth for superyachts will bring billionaires rushing into the island to spend, spend, spend? Why is income over £150,000 not taxed? Why are empty properties allowed to fester for decades unoccupied? Why is corporation tax so pathetically low? And why can’t both Bailiwicks co-operate properly for the benefit of all Channel Islanders?

Come back Heidi and Gavin and inject a little common sense into the proceedings please.

It is time for Guerns to show their feelings on GST so strongly that government is forced to abandon this regressive, job-creating (don’t forget a new civil service department with a few highly-paid chiefs will be needed to administer the tax) boondoggle and think outside the box for once.

Let us all say a resounding NO to GST.

P TIDD, C ENG (ret)