States of Guernsey strategic plan

In another landmark decision the “ States of Guernsey” have decided to spent £125,000 on hosting the “British Irish Council Meeting”, in Guernsey in 2010, against the introduction of a Bowel Cancer screening program, which would have benefited at least 6000 local people and saved lives.

Today 29^th October 2009, should go down in history as a landmark in unbelievable States of Guernsey Decisions. The debate was on prioritizing expenditure and Deputy Matt Fallaize had laid out an excellent amendment, showing that by cutting out the BIC conference in 2010, the States of Guernsey would save £125,000 and that money was enough to introduce the bowel cancer screening program which would have benefited approx 6000 Guernsey residents and saved a number of lives. He was seconded by Deputy Le lievre. Opposing this was the Chief Minister Lyndon Trott who spoke of the importance of these conferences and the fact that Guernsey had already been allocated the 2010 slot. A question from another Deputy showed that the invitations for the conference had not gone out yet. Listening to the debate one would have said that there should have been no contest. The lives of 6000 Guernsey residents against a four hour conference, a talking shop for politicians  at an exorbitant price. As the debate went on it appeared obvious that many deputies had made their minds up before the debate and most of the speeches went in favour of the conference. The Chief Minister Lyndon Trott summed up on behalf of Deputy Guille (indisposed with Flu) and used Deputy Guille’s prepared speech to make the points, mostly the importance of international relations and keeping Guernsey on the world stage. Deputy Matt Fallaize gave an extremely concise summing up and laid out the fact that surely our first priority had to be towards the health of our population, that lives would be lost through a lack of screening, that the £125,000 would be far better spent on the health of Guernsey’s population. I felt at this stage that his arguments were the only acceptable one’s in town. A recorded vote was taken and went 37 to 8 in favour of the BIC conference.

The Guernsey States should hang their heads in shame, the single worst decision they have ever made, putting a Political conference ahead of the well being of their population.

A little history on costs: The last BIC conference was held in Guernsey in 2004: The venue was Guernsey’s Castle Cornet The budget for this four hour Conference was £ 200,000 (all spent) Broken down as follows: Policing and other security £88,000 (included imported officers) Preparing Castle Cornet, £60,000, incuded new plants. Additional staff costs and overtime, £17,000 Hospitality and catering, £8,000 Other expenditure including transport and media, £19,000 And it was admitted that there were other costs that would come to light later. What did this conference achieve: It was agreed to continue the use of tourism satellite accounting ? (Meant nothing to anyone) The training and recruitment of leisure staff and a pilot training scheme. They decided on the venue for the next meeting. The meeting took four hours including lunch. Good value at £200,000 or a waste of taxpayers money?? The policy Council were asking for £175,000 to run the 2010 conference. In an amendment by Chief minister Trott (under pressure I would think) he reduced the amount to £125,000, still a vast amount in this current climate, when it could have been used for the Bowel screening program.

Deputies who voted for the Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Matt Fallaize Mary Lowe Davis DeLisle Andrew Le Lievre Tom Le Pelley Gloria Dudley Owen Janine Le Sauvage Barry Brehaut The remaining 37 voted for the British irish Council Conference against the Bowel Cancer screening program.