Say no to GST in Guernsey

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As a specialist local retailer, we are struggling enough as it is with recession and increasing internet competition. In my area of sales I have to compete with huge companies like Amazon who have the purchasing power to buy stock in massive quantities thus buying it at a cheaper price. I hear people saying, (for instance) 'washing machine £300 Guernsey price, Amazon price £240.' I can tell these people that some of the lines that I sell that are available on Amazon cost me more than Amazon are selling them. The reason they are able to sell at those prices is the quantities they buy lowers the price for them, they also don't have the overheads a shop has. Our commercial rents are astronomical, I am based just outside town as I couldn't afford the high street rents. I import from America and already pay up to 17% duty on my customers most loved products, add GST in to the bundle and that is going to be the final straw that broke the back of all little local retailers. How on earth will we be able to compete with internet prices then? It will kill our high street, that is inevitable. I realize the states have to find a way to raise revenue as our population gets older, we have to be able to balance the islands income. But they must see that the reason our population is getting older is because our young people can't afford to live here! They are gaining qualifications, moving away and paying taxes elsewhere. Who can blame them? A 2 bedroom house here costs £300k plus, one bigger in Scotland for instance costs £200k or less. Surely those in control can see that by making it even harder to live here they are actually going to lose more valuable young families? A big resounding NO! from me.

Innefficient, non discrimatory and just not wanted!

Well how else are the States of Guernsey to get back the 2.6 million that THEY signed over to a fraud!!!!! That's right make the WORKING CLASS Pay all these taxes that they keep inventing! This is going to kill the last remaining small retailers of Guernsey, (Look how many independents closed in Jersey when they introduced GST)..... Guernsey was once a busy happy fairly Crime free Island ....(and very profitable for even the little guys), but since allowing in big companies and focusing everything on finance it has become a stagnant Concrete Rock of up their own arses politicians and greedy non locals who seek to rip what they can and scar our beautiful island with horrific glass monstrosities that no average local could even dream to own .... Greedy Parasites who live off the backs of those who continue to struggle to make a living ...... MAKING US PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES WHEN THEY CONTINUE TO GIVE THEMSELVES HEALTHY PAY RISES OUT OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY WHEN IT SHOULD BE BENEFITING THE ISLAND NOT THEIR OWN LIFESTYLES!!!!!!

Adrian Locke
Maybe it's time for party politics? The donkey party with local candidets, local persons looking after our local interests?
Who is up for it and who would vote för it?
Share this and like this if you are concerned about the consistent erosion of the guernsey people.
If we get enough donkeys that care and share enough numbers to win an election then I will promise to put in the effort to take our island and political system back for locals!
The Bill Greens and Gerald Poat real Guernseymen that are so sadly missed and would be turning in their graves!

It would be the thin edge to a wedge. A tool to be used to pay for any future level of costly incompetence.

GST would be the death of the high-street - a lot of companies are charging the same prices here as they do in England (including VAT) and use some excuse as to why we have to pay it here. Who in their right mind would pay English prices (and sometimes higher than English prices) + an extra 5%?!

It's amazing, England has a higher tax than us, Council Tax, VAT, higher cost of fuel but yet it's still considerably cheaper to live there than it is here. 2019 for probable introduction of GST here? Well that gives people plenty of time to pack up and get off this sinking ship.

not paying it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we already pay enough for food and living expenses, health care etc and tax, our salaries are staying the same or being cut, also child care is already expensive, with GST, we are going to be experiencing more problems!

Admin will be huge for small business, why not a 25% tax on those earning 100K plus a year, rather than taxing the guys who can't afford it.

Yes it will cost more to buy a BMW, but it will still cost more to buy a Kia. Guernsey has a Gulf the size of the Pacific between rich and poor, this will not help narrow the gap, as percentage of income wise it will affect the poor more than the wealthy. Jersey has it and look at there economy over the last few years.. If a politician votes for it they must not be re-elected.

look after the locals i say

#7: -

coming from England to live here 13 years living on this island yes its more expensive cost of living but wages are considerably higher on avarage it doesnt even compare local trp £150 say 2 bedroom house on avarage is £800 in england

 

It is high time that the people of Guernsey stop voting for morons and start electing people with more than two IQ points and opposable thumbs. This continuing pantomime of GST should be resisted to the hilt. Doesn't Guernsey have enough problems with unaffordable house prices and congested roads!!! GST is not sound fiscal management and we are simply paying for the past largesse of past Governments and the political cowardice of "committee members" that include a DJ, a paper boy and a bar man. If Gsy wants to cut costs why not sell Beau Sejour, privatise the dairy, outsource the engineering department, digitise the licensing department, increase TRP on private pools and balconies, abolish income tax plus social insurance and introduce LVT, how about more PRIVATE schools, sell off it's surplus land etc. etc. etc.

#4: Miss VeryVeryAngry PeedOffLocalHardWorker - Robbing the poor to give to the Rich! 

 

You are right! Every Government since 1992 has let us down!!!! GST is another attack on our incomes just like the rise in fuel duty was.

This would be a tax on the poor, the unemployed, the vulnerable, the unemployable and their carers.The high street is dying, tourism is dying, the government is weak and poorly prepared , vulnerable to our system of governance and the influences within it. Namely those with wealth and interests in local property, business,those who often profess to be Christian, right thinking people but who in reality are self serving and self interested who should be taxed in accordance with their wealth, instead of using the system to bolster their own wealth and interests. That's where the real money is,not in the relatively meagre earnings of your average Guernsey! surely there must be a better way!

Stop screwing up our home

Could seriously effect the competitive powers of guernsey retail

As far as I am aware, there is still a threshold where anyone earning over £100k only gets taxed on income up to £100k. It is time that before imposing any further surcharges on everyone or new taxes, we as an island make sure that our income tax system is fair. Guernsey still has to address the poverty gap. Imposing a GST on poorer individuals and families will only make it more difficult for them to get the basics in life such as fuel and food. Guernsey defends the position on the £100k ceiling by saying that it is to attract "high net worth" individuals to the Island who can help boost the economy by creating jobs, and to do anything different would mean we would become uncompetitive with other similar jurisdictions. I believe that we have a moral duty to revisit this before imposing any further taxes or surcharges on islanders.

Another Crazy idea from our States which quite frankly are IN a STATE if they think this will be good for the island of Guernsey and it's people!

Not many of us have had cost of living pay rises they have been below par for a few years, this makes it even harder for us to manage.
And just because Jersey do it, does not make it right!

Stop wasting money before you charge us more

Things are expensive enough in guernsey as it is compared to the uk ,
Leave it out we don't need that

Why the hell can't you leave us alone, your pathetic ideas, and the way the island is run, has caused us thousands of pounds already lost, money wasted by the states over the years, over spending, and we are the poor paying for it, black holes, defrauded by the English guys, we have had enough, Look after us, the locals, our community, we pay way over top now, Guernsey used to be. Nice place, all your worried about is finance sector, Making Guernsey rich mans land, we say stop now,

Not a chance. Austerity with another name. Tell the EU not to bother. Remove our offices from there.