The lack of States money given to Floral Guernsey this year has been linked with the decline of the island’s horticultural sector as a whole, with the Economic Development President suggesting it doesn’t exist anymore at all.
Floral Guernsey was originally set up as an off-shoot of the then-Tourism Board, around 30-years ago.
Since then it has regularly received grant money from the States, with the results of its investment and manpower visible across the island.
Various awards have been won by Floral Guernsey, and its parish groups, including national Britain in Bloom accolades.
However, this year, Floral Guernsey was told it had been unsuccessful in its bid for funding under the current grants system.
Economic Development, through its Tourism Management Board, issues grants for events which can bring visitors to the island. Floral Guernsey was told it did not meet the criteria and its application failed.
ED President, Deputy Neil Inder was asked about the situation in the States this week and he confirmed his support for the decisions made.
“Yes, the Committee supports the Tourism Management Board’s decision making in distributing the events grant funding, which is specifically for tourism and not related to horticulture,” he said.
Deputy Gavin St Pier then asked him “what support, if any,” is ED giving to the horticulture industry, under its mandate for encouraging and enabling economic development.
Deputy Inder suggested there isn’t a horticulture industry to support any more.
“I think really we need to have a broader conversation whether we’ve even got a horticultural industry in the way that we did have back when the mandate was created. In short, I think it’s a machinery of government issue. I think the matter of horticulture is something of the past and that should be dealt with, unfortunately not this term, but hopefully early on next term,” he said.
Pushed further on the matter through questions posed by deputies Al Brouard and John Gollop, Deputy Inder reiterated that Guernsey’s horticultural industry does not exist anymore.
“…if we want any indication of where the horticulture industry is going, then one of the newest blocks was developed by the Langlois’ – a pepper block down at Vazon, some years ago, I think it’s at four or five acres. Under the new plans for the DPA that is identified for housing.
“Horticultural in Guernsey needs a rethink, because it’s not as important as it was, and that’s a conversation we really do need to have with ourselves, and it needs to be reduced somewhat out of the Economic Development mandate.”
Deputy Taylor highlighted the success that Guernsey Clematis has enjoyed and asked Deputy Inder if the island should do more to promote horticultural businesses like that.
Deputy Inder maintained that his answer is no.
“One very good and important supplier, does not make an industry,” he said.
“The point I was making is, we don’t have the industry in the same way that we had some 32 years ago.”
Regarding Floral Guernsey, Deputy Inder confirmed that the organisation was warned last year that its regular grants from the States would likely come to an end as the TMB would be focused on supporting events bringing visitors to the island going forward.
He said that Floral Guernsey had been advised to seek funding through organisations such as the Social Investment Fund in future.
He also said that he was unaware of the detail surrounding claims that a budget for Floral Guernsey had transferred from the Committee for Environment and Infrastructure to ED, and that he would look in to it and find out what the situation truly was.
