Economic changes prove a mixed bag for islanders
With the contribution of wages to economic growth below 50% and the island so reliant on personal income tax and social security contributions to keep the government machine rolling, Nick Mann says the...
View ArticleStrategy to attract visitors has no clear plan of action
With no noticeable response by the States to the reduction in the number of people holidaying in the island, golden opportunities to capitalise on promotion, such as the Literary Festival and film...
View ArticleEmergency: just how bad are Jescc’s finances?
It has busted budgets by close to £500,000 since March 2015, but given the lack of any accessible information it is hard to know just how the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre is performing
View ArticleThe renewables answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
Bob Dylan has been singing about it since the 1960s, and the technology has been around for more than a quarter of a century, but as Nick Mann explains, Guernsey’s caution could mean it is missing out...
View ArticlePolicy plan an unwieldy and disjointed beast
Having waited more than a year to find out what this States wants to do, the Policy & Resource plan leaves much to be desired and appears to be more of a work in progress, rather than a definitive...
View ArticleDeputies drove deal onto rocks through meekness
An unwillingness by the States to be seen publicly in disagreement backfired when it came to a possible deal with Condor to run an inter-island passenger service, says Nick Mann. That ship has sailed...
View ArticleHave your say – but we don’t have to listen
Last week’s decision to hold a referendum on island-wide voting was already fraught with difficulties without the States further muddying the waters by giving itself the right to ignore the result
View ArticleA lack of political will hinders States savings
There is a lack of openness, transparency or detailed explanations regarding States economies. As the people who pick up the bill, taxpayers deserve informed answers to questions on where money could...
View ArticleWhat a difference a year makes for education plans
Education, Sport & Culture’s plans for the rebuilding of the La Mare de Carteret schools are radically different to those put forward by its predecessor committee little more than a year ago. Nick...
View ArticleProgress on healthy weight strategy worryingly glacial
The impression of pecking at the edges rather than wholesale change is one that is reflected in the States initiative. Tackling an increasingly heavier population as the manifestation of the trend...
View ArticleEducation failing to win hearts and minds on fees
In investigating substantial fee hikes for adult education courses at the CoFE, Education, Sport & Culture looks to have chosen an easy target in its attempt to make savings instead of addressing...
View ArticleCracking the website riddle reveals host of information
Data the States has on a wealth of topics and is willing to share in the public interest can be found on its internet portal. However, sourcing these reports remains a maze that can only really be...
View ArticleIsland pollution: paying the price of emission
STATISTICS that show Guernsey is consistently more polluting than Jersey – and per capita produces twice the amount of greenhouse gas emissions – should make people pause for thought.
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