With the new States now in place and committees beginning their work, the Chamber has started a programme of meetings with Deputies – both individually and as part of the G8 business group – to ensure the voice of the business community is heard from the outset.
This week we met with the new Committee for Economic Development for an initial “meet and greet”, bringing them up to speed on some of the key issues we are tackling, including business banking, payment platforms, the Housing Forum, our People and Skills working group, amongst other items.
One of the most encouraging outcomes from the meeting was hearing that an updated Economic Strategy is top of the Committee’s agenda. The last formal strategy was published in 2017, and we are pleased to see plans for a new framework that will both set a clear direction for Guernsey’s economy, but that they won’t be waiting to complete this.
We also welcomed the news that the Innovation Board has been commissioned to carry out a much-needed review of the Digital Greenhouse – a vital step in ensuring it meets the island’s future needs, and we look forward to being a consultee in this process.
Our discussions also covered opportunities to strengthen trade links with France, making better use of existing ferry connections to benefit both goods and tourism. Finally, we pressed the importance of building our working relationship with Jersey. While recent ferry contract negotiations have left tensions on both sides, we believe there is appetite to move forward and work together for the long-term prosperity of the Channel Islands.
This meeting marks a positive start to our engagement with the new Economic Development Committee, and we look forward to collaborating closely in the months ahead.
