Guernsey government plan: Covid-19 and Brexit recovery listed as top priorities

Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee has submitted its government plan for the next four years.

The Covid-19 pandemic, the effects of Brexit and a list of recovery actions have been identified as the government's three imminent priorities.

Vice-president Deputy Heidi Soulsby said "difficult decisions" had to be made in order to cope with the island's "limited" finances.

The policy letter is due to be debated by States members on 17 March.

Stage one of the government plan will respond to the "unprecedented fiscal challenges" Guernsey faces, the Policy and Resources Committee said.

It estimates the States spent an extra £50m in 2020 to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

The committee said the island was "likely to see a deterioration in the financial landscape for 2021", and "significant resources" would need to be allocated to the pandemic's management "for some time to come".

The letter adds that the States would need to consider borrowing money to invest in the island's infrastructure.

Legislation earmarked as a high priority for the government this political term includes the drafting of the anti-discrimination laws agreed in principle last year.

The government plan has also prioritised the introduction of better regulation for Guernsey's healthcare services, and the licensing of roll on/roll off ferry services from Condor at St Peter Port.

The government has also proposed the withdrawal of 135 previously agreed resolutions which are "no longer reflective of the needs of today", the letter states.

Among these are all previously agreed proposals for secondary education reform, which were put on hold last March to allow a review by the Committee for Education Sport and Culture.

Deputy Soulsby said: "The ambition of the new Assembly is prodigious so it will need to make difficult decisions and these proposals prepare the way for this.

"It is a huge task to bring all this work into one plan and it is important that in March, the Assembly provides the executive decisions to help the committee carry on its work."

Follow BBC Guernsey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].