There’s a motion of no confidence against the Policy and Finance Committee. I want to speak openly and plainly about what’s happening.
This isn’t about better governance. It’s about ego, short-termism, and political theatre. A few genuine exceptions aside, this motion is being driven by people who have no long-term stake in Sark’s future. Many are transient digital nomads, using Sark as a tax break, not a home. Their ties are economic, not rooted in community.
Meanwhile, they seek to remove Conseillers who have stood by Sark through thick and thin — people who will still be here in five years, living through the storms, the winters, the blackouts. One of them, Edric Baker, has served this island for decades and was awarded an MBE for it. That’s the calibre being attacked.
This is not about what’s best for Sark.
It’s an ego war.
A personal vendetta dressed up as reform.
And the consequences are real.
Our Policy and Finance Committee is working on one of the most urgent projects Sark has faced in decades: regaining control of our electricity grid. Years of neglect have left it dangerously fragile. Every delay puts lives at risk. Every distraction we’re forced to answer makes that danger worse.
If someone is hurt because we failed to act, that will be gross negligence. And those who held us back will carry that responsibility.
Meanwhile, we’re bombarded with up to ten emails a day from the opposition — emails we take the time to answer properly, while still trying to run and develop the island. This constant barrage is not governance. It’s sabotage.
And while we work to hold things together, it’s burning people out. I see it. I feel it.
Conseillers like Nat Tighe, who came in full of energy and drive, have been worn down by relentless attacks.
Our system is not designed for ordinary people with jobs, families, or creative work. It demands everything — and gives very little support back.
Yet many of us persist.
Out of loyalty.
Out of hope.
Out of a fierce belief that Sark is worth fighting for.
In my two years chairing Education, we’ve stabilised what was seen as one of the toughest, most toxic problems in Chief Pleas.
I’m now spearheading the Island Plan — a project vital to Sark’s future. But that work is continually delayed by the torrent of attacks against the committee.
And let’s be honest: it’s personal.
Conseiller Barker spent two years trying to get me to betray John Guille. When I refused, the target shifted from individuals to the committee as a whole. Barker told me, “You’re going to find you’ve picked the wrong team.” This has never been about what’s good for Sark. It’s about personal vendettas.
It mirrors what we’re seeing around the world: the rise of oligarchs and opportunists who think they can do whatever they like, hiding their real intentions behind smoke and mirrors.
The question for Sark is simple:
Do we want to be led by people who will leave when the winds change — or by those who are here to stay, through storms and sunshine?
Do we want to tear down hard work in the middle of vital projects — or finish what we started?
I know which side I’m on.
I’m not stepping away.
I’m standing my ground.
For Sark. For its future. For all of us.
If you care about the future of this island, now is the time to act.
Email conseillers@sarkgov.co.uk with your views. Speak directly to the Conseillers who are not on the Policy and Finance Committee. Especially those who didn’t sign the Motion of No Confidence as they will have the deciding votes.
We have until Wednesday’s Chief Pleas meeting to decide the fate of this island.
Your voice matters more now than ever.
Jolie Rose, Conseiller for Sark