Not all hope is lost after big tax debate

Given the five possible [tax review] options – none were selected. A positive result for keeping the status quo. Guernsey people have worked hard to get their opinions heard and while it may have been fortuitous it has turned out that their deputies have listened.

Islanders have had a miserable time with Covid – kept under control with the aid of ‘Brinkmanship’ and which has left a legacy for many of both mental and physical scars. It has been rapidly followed by Ukraine and the rise in cost of living. This has been followed by the rise in mortgage rates brought to us by the Bank of England. Not a great time to be told about a black hole.

I noticed that this was given as £30m. and then £80m. and then as £105m. depending on which day of the week it was announced. I have not noticed anyone giving a definition of the black hole. It cannot be the current account as this has balanced with a small surplus despite the difficult times mentioned above. We must be talking about capital and the reserves. Yet we have had various deputies wanting to spend £350m. on a new harbour in the Vale and another wishing to modernise the eastern seaboard with £300m. and another wishing to spend a mere £20m. on a ship to be leased to Condor.

To be fair to Policy & Resources, it has announced the withdrawal of about 75 capital projects from its programme and is something which makes a lot of sense.

If the States now sticks with the status quo it will give them maybe three or four years of more normal times on which to base their decisions.

In the meantime it would also help if the States Revenue could be brought up to date – I know they have problems with their IT system – the purchase of which should surely be made into a documentary as an example for all latter-day deputies.

DON SUMMERS