Billed as a ‘GST themed hustings’, a group of candidates spent Wednesday evening explaining why they are against the introduction of a goods and services tax while offering alternative solutions to Guernsey’s looming financial problems.
Current deputies Chris Blin, Chris Le Tissier, and David de Lisle were joined by fellow anti-GST election candidates Chris Machon, Art Allen O’Leary, and Sally Gilman at the Vale Douzaine room, where 28 members of the public waited to hear what they had to say.
The format did not seem to follow a traditional hustings format with no limit on how long candidates could speak for.
By 20:30 no one in the audience had asked any questions, but there had been some rounds of applause at some of what was said by the panel – notably when a realistic alternative to GST was proposed, or an example of States’ wasteful spending was highlighted.
Opening the debate, Hustings chair Lance Vaudin said candidates can’t just say they are against GST – they need to come up with the alternatives. He called on those present to explain the alternatives they believe in.
Deputy Chris Blin had already discussed the potential generation of income, job opportunities another benefits the island could have from a wind farm need to be explored before GST is introduced.
He said he wants to look at these opportunities “for my children, your children, and the future”.
“I hope people see there are other options and we need to look at them,” he said.
Deputy Chris Le Tissier suggested taxing EVs among other environmental options.
He is also a supporter of corporate tax reform. He suggested an “income based tax – not an income tax but an income based tax of 2%” to bridge the gap until such a time that corporate tax can be reformed, along with savings.
First time candidate Sally Gilman said a fair tax option is the best way to go. As a taxi driver she hears of too many people who come to the island and don’t contribute their fair share.
Candidate Art Allen said he doesn’t believe the figures that have been “bandied about” and he doesn’t want the island’s pension age to “go up and up and up”. He expressed support for leasing the island’s seabeds to renewable energy companies to make money for the island instead of introducing GST.
He also raised the issue of “failed income tax office” and the “failed” Agilisys contract and asked why no one is else to account for these issues.
When Mr Allen said the States should force the income tax office to get any money that’s owed in straight away, he received a round of applause in response.
Deputy David de Lisle also explored the idea of making savings within the civil service as an alternative to GST being introduced, along with the “high subsidies we seem to give those who come over to work as nurses and the such like from outside”.
He said each individual that comes in gets around £30,000 in subsidies, which needs looking at.
Candidate Chris Machon also aired his own thoughts on cost cutting within the States and he was the first panel member to mention Aurigny. He said the airline is likely to have lost £10million last year, but still can’t serve its customers in Alderney adequately.
He said if someone else came in to run Aurigny then we would save £10m a year.