Sark - U K Investigates 'good Governance'

[Cronky]

Minister in row with Barclay brothers over Sark

http://www.guardian....nel-island-feud

 

The justice minister, Lord McNally, has said he told the billionaire Barclay brothers that the UK would not let them turn the tiny Channel island of Sark into a "company town" as a poisonous row between the tycoon twins and local people threatens to break the island's antiquated system of government. The unprecedented government intervention comes after 15 years of sporadic feuding in Britain's smallest crown dependency jurisdiction . . .

 

and

 

McNally, the government minister responsible for managing the UK's relationships with the crown dependencies, told the Guardian: "One of the things that I've got to keep in mind is if Sark was in the hands of a single company or a set of individuals, would that be a threat to governance? I do not think the British government could simply accept such a state of affairs.

 

and

 

Offering his own reflections, McNally said: "They can give and they can take away. If the people of Sark say 'if the price of Barclays' investment is compliance – and we do not want that,' then they have the right to say that." But he has advised that the best course to defend the interests of all within Sark was to "put in place robust democratic structures that prevent the abuse of economic power".

 

concluding:

 

He warned that this would come at a cost likely to force Chief Pleas to consider greatly revising its low-tax model. "I would hope that they see the price tag is worth paying. Democracy doesn't come free, but it does give protections."

 

I've seen a few discussions about 'good governance' of the Dependencies on the website but this is the first time I have direct intervention by the Ministry of Justice. In this case it looks like that's what Sark residents want - so fair play to them.

[Barrie Stevens]

Minister in row with Barclay brothers over Sark

http://www.guardian....nel-island-feud

 

The justice minister, Lord McNally, has said he told the billionaire Barclay brothers that the UK would not let them turn the tiny Channel island of Sark into a "company town" as a poisonous row between the tycoon twins and local people threatens to break the island's antiquated system of government. The unprecedented government intervention comes after 15 years of sporadic feuding in Britain's smallest crown dependency jurisdiction . . .

 

and

 

McNally, the government minister responsible for managing the UK's relationships with the crown dependencies, told the Guardian: "One of the things that I've got to keep in mind is if Sark was in the hands of a single company or a set of individuals, would that be a threat to governance? I do not think the British government could simply accept such a state of affairs.

 

and

 

Offering his own reflections, McNally said: "They can give and they can take away. If the people of Sark say 'if the price of Barclays' investment is compliance – and we do not want that,' then they have the right to say that." But he has advised that the best course to defend the interests of all within Sark was to "put in place robust democratic structures that prevent the abuse of economic power".

 

concluding:

 

He warned that this would come at a cost likely to force Chief Pleas to consider greatly revising its low-tax model. "I would hope that they see the price tag is worth paying. Democracy doesn't come free, but it does give protections."

 

I've seen a few discussions about 'good governance' of the Dependencies on the website but this is the first time I have direct intervention by the Ministry of Justice. In this case it looks like that's what Sark residents want - so fair play to them.

 

It happens more than most realise...In the 1990s the UK sacked Jersey's version of First Deemster for not doing his job properly....People moaned but he was still sacked!

 

The UK had a hand in the downfall of IOM Chief Minister Richard Corkill...It started when he basically told the then Lt Governor to get lost over the Mount Murray business and it was not too long before those entities in place on behalf of the UK ie Governor, Chief Secretary and Attorney General began carrying out their orders...Corkill would not initially resign but he did so on the morning that he was due to travel to London for a meeting with the (if I recall correctly) the Lord Chancellor....ie went before he was sacked!

[Cronky]

But this problem has nothing to do with officials who have Crown responsibilities. It is to do with the the consequences of a feud on the good governance on arrangements the Ministry of Justice were apparently content with. What the MOJ now seem to be saying is that those arrangements are not strong enough to prevent the Island being prey to unwelcome external influences. The MOJ's suggested solution of 'revising its low-tax model' is of interest because that could remove any benefits that external parties might derive from the Island. That solution is available to the Chief Pleas. If Sark residents opted for that then would their problems go away?