I honestly doubt that, with elections, things on Sark are going to change that much. The people on Sark, and the people who manage to move to Sark, are probably quite happy with the way things are. They'll have an elected government just to keep outsiders happy, I reckon.
There'll be the interesting question of the relationship between the States/États of Sark and the States of Guernsey. As it stood before, Sark has no representation in the States of Guernsey, though whether or not having an elected government would give it the right to have a representative in the States could be raised.
Oh, having looked at it, the States of Guernsey are actualy getting round to overhauling themselves, though they've said that Sark is still not having a representative, and that the two Alderney representatives aren't getting paid when they're acting as Alderney's representatives in Guernsey.
/me mumbles something
But, back to the original point, I can't see an elected government changing many things in Sark. The general impression that I have of Sark is that they're quite happy with how things are, and they're not going to be changing the traditions or customs of their little islands any time soon. It'd be funny, though, if they voted in something crazy like "corporate tax".
So, getting this straight; Sark and Alderney are part of state of Guernsey, but Sark has no representation in Govt of Guernsey and Alderney's reps don't get paid? Hmm.
Hang on; does Alderney pay money to Guernsey for anything? If not, then couldn't they pay the representatives?
I know next to nothing on how the Channel Islans organise themselves, all I really know is their position within "British" territories probably ought to be clarified at some point.
Regarding Alderney paying money to Guernsey (and this is a huge point of contention), the taxes generated by the Baliwick of Guernsey are adminstered by the States of Guernsey. The States of Guernsey, as far as I'm aware, allocates a budget to the States of Alderney.
Members of the States of Alderney are unpaid but, under the old system, the two representatives used to get paid when they sat in the States of Guernsey meetings as if they were, well, representatives in the States of Guernsey. This change might very well mean that the representatives have to pay for their own flights to Guernsey to try and represent the island.
The whole Channel Islands - Britain issue needs to be clarified at some point, but the Guernsey - Alderney issue desperately needs looking at. It is, if you'll pardon my French, completely fucking ridiculous.
no subject
Date: 2006-Mar-08, Wednesday 02:20 (UTC)There'll be the interesting question of the relationship between the States/États of Sark and the States of Guernsey. As it stood before, Sark has no representation in the States of Guernsey, though whether or not having an elected government would give it the right to have a representative in the States could be raised.
Oh, having looked at it, the States of Guernsey are actualy getting round to overhauling themselves, though they've said that Sark is still not having a representative, and that the two Alderney representatives aren't getting paid when they're acting as Alderney's representatives in Guernsey.
/me mumbles something
But, back to the original point, I can't see an elected government changing many things in Sark. The general impression that I have of Sark is that they're quite happy with how things are, and they're not going to be changing the traditions or customs of their little islands any time soon. It'd be funny, though, if they voted in something crazy like "corporate tax".
no subject
Date: 2006-Mar-08, Wednesday 11:49 (UTC)Hang on; does Alderney pay money to Guernsey for anything? If not, then couldn't they pay the representatives?
I know next to nothing on how the Channel Islans organise themselves, all I really know is their position within "British" territories probably ought to be clarified at some point.
no subject
Date: 2006-Mar-08, Wednesday 14:36 (UTC)Members of the States of Alderney are unpaid but, under the old system, the two representatives used to get paid when they sat in the States of Guernsey meetings as if they were, well, representatives in the States of Guernsey. This change might very well mean that the representatives have to pay for their own flights to Guernsey to try and represent the island.
The whole Channel Islands - Britain issue needs to be clarified at some point, but the Guernsey - Alderney issue desperately needs looking at. It is, if you'll pardon my French, completely fucking ridiculous.