The Bailiwick of Guernsey became part of Normandy in the year 933 and many remnants of Norman Law, as well a the local version of French 'Guernesaise' survive to this day. In common with many other locals, my own surname is one such legacy with roots in even earlier times.
This week saw a conference 'Rencontre de Droit Normand' arranged by our Royal Court to discuss, amongst other things, the 750th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris when King Henry III of England renounced control of Normandy to the French, but not the Channel Islands.
The Bailiffs of Jersey and Guernsey as well as lawyers and academics from France, the UK and the islands will discuss the impact of the Treaty since the middle ages and it's significance for the islands today.
Given the current constitution discussions, it is rather poignant that this anniversary should fall at this particular time.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
UDI for Guernsey?
Having decided to scrap Corporation tax just over a year ago, the States of Guernsey along with Jersey and the Isle of Mann, have come under fire from the European and UK Governments. They don't like the fact that offshore jurisdictions operate more efficiently and manage their economies with low taxation, so they are pressurising them to increase taxes.
This has sparked a debate about the nature of the constitutional relationship with the UK which now provides no reciprocal health care for islanders, treats our university students as foreigners but without the privileges, and abandoned the islands on the only occasion they were called on for defence. Islanders seem to want to retain a relationship with the Crown but some are now keen to say 'thanks but no thanks' to the UK Government on a relationship that no longer works for both, perhaps either party. This may fall short of a full and Unilateral Declaration of Independence of the kind seen in Zimbabwe a few decades ago, but cracks have a habit of widening and unless fixed, who knows if this one will sever the historical bonds.
Another local hot topic I feel motivated to write about is that of our local Postal Company - Guernsey Post. The business is wholly owned by the States of Guernsey but run as a private company. It's efficient and competitive which (given the size of our local community) is impressive. Granted this is helped by the lack of VAT in Guernsey which allows local businesses to fulfil goods to the UK and Europe under a 'de minimus' agreement - basically they don't have to charge customers if the goods are valued under £18. So Guernsey Post gets worthwhile revenue from its fulfilment operations. Nevertheless, our postal service is excellent. This of course, is not what regulators want to hear so they are hell bent on driving further efficiencies and introducing competition. Yet another example of Thatcherism gone mad - we've all seen the consequences of this with Royal Mail (currently on strike) in the UK. The fact is that domestic deliveries are hard to make profitable so when you get a business that is somehow managing to achieve this, it's plain bonkers to drive them under.
This has sparked a debate about the nature of the constitutional relationship with the UK which now provides no reciprocal health care for islanders, treats our university students as foreigners but without the privileges, and abandoned the islands on the only occasion they were called on for defence. Islanders seem to want to retain a relationship with the Crown but some are now keen to say 'thanks but no thanks' to the UK Government on a relationship that no longer works for both, perhaps either party. This may fall short of a full and Unilateral Declaration of Independence of the kind seen in Zimbabwe a few decades ago, but cracks have a habit of widening and unless fixed, who knows if this one will sever the historical bonds.
Another local hot topic I feel motivated to write about is that of our local Postal Company - Guernsey Post. The business is wholly owned by the States of Guernsey but run as a private company. It's efficient and competitive which (given the size of our local community) is impressive. Granted this is helped by the lack of VAT in Guernsey which allows local businesses to fulfil goods to the UK and Europe under a 'de minimus' agreement - basically they don't have to charge customers if the goods are valued under £18. So Guernsey Post gets worthwhile revenue from its fulfilment operations. Nevertheless, our postal service is excellent. This of course, is not what regulators want to hear so they are hell bent on driving further efficiencies and introducing competition. Yet another example of Thatcherism gone mad - we've all seen the consequences of this with Royal Mail (currently on strike) in the UK. The fact is that domestic deliveries are hard to make profitable so when you get a business that is somehow managing to achieve this, it's plain bonkers to drive them under.
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