AN EPIC FOUR HOURS FOR THE MICHAELMAS MEETING OF CHIEF PLEAS

AThis week saw the government of Sark meet to discuss matters from the postponed Extraordinary meeting of September as well as the scheduled Michaelmas meeting. All bar one Conseiller was present making the House quorate as well as the Seigneur, Speaker and the Bailiwick’s Lt. Governor. Items included the Bailiwick’s further participation in UK Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the reappointment and election of the existing Constable and Assistant Constables, the election of a Procureur des Pauvres and a deputy Procureur, Bailiwickwide legislation entitled ‘Reform of the Matrimonial Causes Law’ relating to the impact of Sark’s land reform legislation on possible actions subsequent to a divorce, the introduction of a fifth annual statutory meeting of Chief Pleas for Budgets, the 2022 general election including the impact of the fifth statutory meeting on the electoral register as well as a reduced period for nominees to put themselves forward for the election, the approval of the Assistant Constables for Sea Fisheries, an amendment regarding the weight of electric bicycles allowed on Sark roads, the drafting of legislation to allow for a seaweed farm in Sark waters, the proposal to audit Sark’s Financial Statements, the introduction of the Chief Secretary and Assistant to many more committee meetings, an update on the 2022 Island-wide recycling initiative, drones, the census, a new Non-Executive Director for the Isle of Sark Shipping (IoSS) and an IoSS update on recent months. The security and resilience of electricity generation and supply was another major topic, with the Policy & Finance Committee securing the majority to proceed with establishing a secondary grid and infrastructure, potentially in competition with the current supplier Sark Electricity Ltd (SEL). Whilst Education was the secondary topic to attract members of the electorate to the public gallery: with only one Conseiller as a member and no one willing to join, the Education Committee was declared not quorate, and its mandate is to be temporarily taken over by Policy & Finance. The whole meeting took four hours to conclude; one of the longest sittings of the House in recent memory.

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