Hundreds of open market residents have said they are dissatisfied with the States of Guernsey and its inaction to protect the community and its continued ineffectual efforts to encourage more "high net worth" families to move to the island.
The recently created Open Market Forum has surveyed residents with 700 responding - which represents half of the open market community in Guernsey.
The OMF's founders; Zef Eisenberg, Guy Anderson and Helen O’Meara, have said this is the only true consultation of open market residents that has been conducted and that it should have been done before any changes were made to the way Guernsey manages its population.
In a collective statement the OMF said it was established in October 2017, attracting numerous members during the first two months alone. The results of a general survey sent to all members in late December 2017 has now been published, with the inclusion of questions set by the former Chief Secretary of the Economic Development Committee.
Some of the results suggest dissatisfaction with the States of Guernsey, despite a strong desire among open market residents to continue living in the island.
Pictured: One of the survey questions and results contained in the OMF survey
The founding members of the OMF have said they are supporting the work of Locate Guernsey in promoting and developing the open market, with its focus on attracting High Net Worth Individuals to the island, but speaking to Express both Mr Eisenberg and Mrs O'Meara shared their deep concerns in other areas.
Mr Eisenberg said collectively open market residents share some of their concerns which is why the forum was established in the first place:
"The OMF was founded about six months ago, mainly due to the frustrations about how the open market was perceived in the States and how we felt that the open market and housing and population management that was brought in in April 2017, just neglected and hadn't represented or captured the potential of the open market.
"We had dozens of people come to us and say what can we do about this, how can we deal with the erosion of our rights, how can we get the States to recognise the importance of the economic enabler that the open market contributes and brings."
Mr Eisenberg said the survey gives a clear indication of open market residents "needs, desires and wants." He said there hasn't been any similar consultation done with the open market previously:
"Consultation in the States appears to be a survey of 20 people in a pub, it appears to be what their mates say, what the deputies' friends say - and that's not consultation. Who turns up to a meeting? Eight people turn up and give feedback. That appears to be consultation at the moment - well this is real consultation and there are some comments and feedback in this survey that have to be looked at and taken seriously.
"If we don't, we're at risk that, not only will we not attract more incomers, and they go to other places like Jersey, but we'll also lose them. There's a proportion who are so disenfranchised, so frustrated that they're thinking, does Guernsey want me?"
The founder members of the OMF said people have been "concerned at the lack of demand for and investment in the OM over the last decade" with "uncertainty created in the years leading up to the 2017 Population Management Law" while the "new OM laws have damaged the demand for OM and the island as a whole - for what benefit?" Mrs O'Meara, who is local but lives in an open market property, said the forum has been created to address that:
"Open market people are here for all the same reasons that we are, and increasingly its younger people who are coming and they're coming for safety, security, for educational opportunities and so on. There's been uncertainty, and therefore question marks for some people just over education recently.
"But the Open Market Forum's key message is; we don't want Guernsey to miss an opportunity. The open market in the last decades is what's given us some of the more diversified businesses on the island. Think Healthspan, think Specsavers, think Aquastar."
"It's also done a huge amount community wise; Les Bourgs Hospice founders; open market, dyslexia association, skate park, Saumarez Park childrens' playground - all heavily helped or founded by open market residents. People don't just come here to sit and take advantage of any tax benefits. They come here because they find Guernsey a really attractive place and, all the same things us locals want to do, they want to do" said Mrs O'Meara.
"There's an opportunity sitting on the shelf; the open market, to attract more people like that. Who knows what they might create? And we want more energy, pro-activity from government, and money, put behind it."
The OMF said open market house sales have been about half of their pre-2010 average and that all island residents have suffered from the resulting fall in stamp duty revenues, but Mr Eisenberg said the current frustrations aren't just being felt by Part A residents:
"It's the hotels, it's the care homes, it's the hospitality industry as well - where do all the people who work in the restaurants, pubs and hotels stay? They stay in open market shared - this the area that we're talking about and why the open market is critical. If you removed the open market part D tomorrow, you would have no waiters and waitresses, cooks, chefs, nothing."
Mrs O'Meara added that while a lot of hospitality workers are now covered by local permits through changes to the population management policies in Guernsey, the uncertainty caused by the changes has damaged the open market: "Put uncertainty into anything, and it becomes less attractive."
She said introducing the new population management policy on top of Brexit has harmed the open market, but there is an opportunity to capitalise on Brexit, but Mrs O'Meara and Mr Eisenberg said the States can't wait for Brexit to happen, or the next local elections - they must act now:
"We've got some initial quick wins, which we feel would be initial ways to quickly put things in a better place. We all like to live in a place of certainty, we all like to know that our families are safe, our jobs are safe, the political environment that we live in is safe, and if its not we get worried and we look for alternatives. All people want now is certainty" said Mr Eisenberg.
The OMF's aims include:
1. Restore the majority of open market property rights giving owners the freedom to use their own homes as they see fit. More specifically:
2. Remove the five year limit for tenants in Parts B, C and D so that it once again offers business a viable alternative to the unattractive five year residency limit. The number of Parts B, C and D properties is finite therefore this does not contradict population management measures
3. Encourage all deputies to register the importance of the OM as an economic enabler and to promote and be proud of the OM
4. Increase funding for Locate Guernsey and expand its remit to include promotion of the OM
The OMF said these aims above must be tackled now, but Mr Eisenberg is concerned deputies are more concerned with more frivolous matters: "The big focus at the moment appears to be in-fighting between deputies. What we want them to do is to start fighting for Guernsey, and stop fighting between themselves."
Both Mr Eisenberg and Mrs O'Meara have said there is a chance to capitalise on uncertainties elsewhere though, if these aims are addressed now. Mrs O'Meara said:
"We want to see political will and funding put behind Locate Guernsey in whatever form it ends up. Zef was their keynote speaker at their headline event in London, and absolutely we support Locate Guernsey.
"We want to see more deputies sit up and take notice of the opportunities Guernsey has because of the open market, and let's not tie it up in red tape, which is some of what we did last year."
The survey results, and the OMF's aims, have been sent to all Deputies with the message that open market residents are "keen to meet up and explain to those who want further insight into the survey’s results and the importance of OM to the Island and the economic value it provides."
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