Tom Moore for Deputy

Day two of many where diary clashes mean tough choices for both candidates and the public. Tonight, I missed the first Forward Guernsey hustings (I hope it went well) to attend the launch of the Guernsey Community Foundation’s Quality of Life Report.

I expected disparity between young and old, rich and poor but I hadn’t grasped how stark it really is. Based on a survey where 3,000 islanders took part, the findings are sobering. Slides and speaker insights painted a grim picture:

some islanders live without basics like a fridge or washing machine;
suicide rates are alarmingly high among young men;
many young women feel persistently vulnerable;
12% of reported crime involves assault on children;
Work-life balance is skewed for younger people;
single-parent and single-adult households are hit hardest financially;
homeownership is increasingly out of reach for younger generations

Into this picture steps the GST+ package, the supposed elixir. But will it even bring in the expected revenue? And what of the human cost?
We need fairer, smarter alternatives — I’m proposing corporation tax and a luxury goods tax instead. The full report is available online: https://foundation.gg/…/landmark-quality-of-life…/

Tomorrow lunchtime, I’ll be attending the Chamber of Commerce’s Election Special event, where the Voice of Guernsey Business Insight Report will be discussed. The full report is already at voiceofguernsey.com, revealing that over 60% of surveyed businesses would support a modest corporation tax. They know what’s at stake — without investment in housing and infrastructure like the Eastern Seaboard redevelopment, we risk long-term economic decline. Yes, businesses are asking us to tax them. That’s how urgently we need to act.

Tomorrow evening, I’ll join Andy Cameron’s Deputy (& Candidate) Pub Tour, this time in St Martin’s. We start at Queen’s at 4pm. I’ll join at Captain’s from 5:30 after work. I look forward to meeting St. Martin’s residents, hearing your views and answering your questions.