Mark Helyar

Personal Statement

Guernsey born (one of the few hundred with no rights of work or abode in the EU), aged 52, I have been an Advocate for nearly 20 years. I have worked extensively across all financial sectors in Guernsey and elsewhere as well as being involved with and representing many prominent local businesses and charities. Before joining the legal sector in 1996, I was a Sea Fisheries Officer.

• Fiscal prudence, low taxation
• Business, industry, finance and free enterprise - cost effective and proportionate social policy
• Constitutional independence, high standard of living, small government, light regulation
• Support for freedom of speech, democracy and the rule of law
• High standards of professional conduct and integrity

Manifesto

The two main priorities in this next term must be the economy and resolving the education debate. I hope that we can improve co-operative and constructive working relationships between deputies and help to speed up decision making.

Guernsey is standing at a fork in the road to our future.

In one direction lies the opportunity to protect and enhance our island environment and its rich culture and history. To develop a diversified and sustainable economy, which produces enough income to pay for excellent public services. To harness our renowned Guernsey ability to innovate, overcome difficulties and be successful.

In the other direction we face a rapidly growing elderly population, sharply declining birth rate and demand for current and future public services, which we can’t afford. This is resulting in calls for higher taxation, which can only drive us towards long term decline.

I believe if we start down the path to higher taxation we will see business opportunity reduce and costs rise in all areas.

Our young people, wealthy residents and businesses in all sectors will not stay in an island where there is no opportunity.

History tells us that in almost every jurisdiction, once a new tax is introduced, it never goes away. Once we put our taxes up we will have let the genie out of the bottle.

I believe we should drive success, not drive it away.

How are we going to pay for it ? We cannot make sufficient savings by simply reducing the size of government. Yes, we must deliver promised public sector savings, but there is a much more fundamental issue. We need government to empower business and move aside, to facilitate, not micro-manage.

We need regulation which is proportionate. It should not take 3 weeks to open a bank account for a new customer, install a new telephone line or wait for planning consent to fit a defibrillator.

I would like to see our well organised and critical charity sector empowered and funded to provide more services rather than the States. I am sure all of you working in the charity sector understand this very well. I would also like to see the tax covenant for charitable donations raised.

I favour a bolder energy policy which gives us more energy security and puts a rapid increase in renewables at its core - free solar panels for all who want them, paid for in part by electricity generated.

I want government to take more pride in our Island’s infrastructure. Sea walls and slipways must not be left untended to fall apart, and should be repaired urgently and properly maintained going forwards.

I want to see our nursing pay dispute resolved urgently. Now more than ever these critical services need support.

I would encourage and support a Buy Local campaign to help local retailers, food and drink suppliers and manufacturers, and help to boost distillation, brewing production and exports of local products by reducing the duty on local production.

I prefer 3 schools and a single sixth form centre but I want to maintain choice for those who wish to take entrance exams for the Colleges and so to provide them with means-tested States scholarships at 11, 12 and 13.

I have spent a lot of time at sea and believe we have a unique opportunity to develop our harbour infrastructure to provide for significantly more leisure boating and moorings for much larger vessels to visit and overwinter, bringing valuable revenue and diversifying our economy.

We should take inspiration from the vision of our forefathers who built our wonderful harbour, it has paid for itself probably hundreds of times over.

Like them, we need to be positive, forward looking, and enthusiastic about the future possibilities for our Bailiwick.

I promise I will do my very best for you all and to keep listening. Please visit my website and Facebook pages to see more detail.

Vote for new blood and fresh ideas.

Please vote for Mark Helyar.