Economic Warfare on Sark

More news on Sark, and the millionaire thugs who penalised the inhabitants when they didn't get their own way.

On the BBC website, it is noted that "Sir David had warned before the election that he and his brother were "tempted to walk away from Sark . if the establishment gets re-elected". If that was not a veiled threat, I don't know what was. The New York times notes that "have bought up more than one-fifth of Sark in the last few years and feel its future should include paved roads, cars and a helicopter landing pad."

This would, of course, mean that the Barclays could hop over on their helicopter, and drive around if they felt like it, as could their estate manager. Pavements would be needed for safety once you have moved to a traffic culture. On an island that is, in fact, green, it is a remarkably counter-environmental step.

With the elections, their newspaper arm, the Sark News, went into overdrive:

Some of the attacks are very personal. It describes Edric Baker, who was born and bred on Sark and admits to still possessing a musket to defend the island if called upon, as a "feudal fundamentalist". Another, Andy Cook, is dismissed as a "man of leisure". The newsletter highlights that another, Peter Cole, wants to look at introducing tax systems that "more readily reflect a person's ability to pay". It goes on: "Are you proposing to introduce income tax, Mr Cole? Don't vote for Sark's would-be Napoleon." Sark News calls the proposal of another candidate, Charles Maitland, to introduce employment legislation "the beginning of the slippery slope". Of candidate Jan Guy, the bulletin says: "There is a socialist streak to this candidate's politics which is completely at odds with Sark's best interests. Another would-be tax reformer ... she would have done well under Old Labour and Dennis Healey. Don't let her make the pips squeak."

The New York Times notes that "the Barclays' strong-arm election tactics - including a negative ad that denounced one opponent of their plans, Edric Baker, as a "feudal talibanist" - rubbed many Sarkees the wrong way. 'We're in danger of going from feudalism to dictatorship,' said Diane Baker, a member of Chief Pleas who is running in Wednesday's election. Speaking of the literature put out by the pro-Barclay camp, she added, "They called my husband a feudal Taliban, just because he was on the committee that refused permission to let them build a helipad"

The Barclays defended their press coverage, saying that

"We are fierce supporters of press freedom and the right to free expression. It is in that context that Sark News publishes the complete list of candidates and then identifies 12 who we say ... are wholly unworthy of your vote," the newsletter states.

Is this freedom of expression? Or is it more akin to some tin-pot dictator in the Third World, telling the people how they should vote - or else? It is hardly surprising that most people took it as the threat of a bully, and didn't like what they saw.

On the provisional results only two of nine people the Barclays had identified in a newsletter before the election as a "safe pair of hands" got in. Most humiliatingly, their man on Sark, estate manager Kevin Delaney, failed to win a seat. . The newsletter also identified 12 "establishment" candidates it said would "destroy" the future of island. But on the provisional result, nine of those got in. They included people such as Edric Baker.

As the Guernsey press notes:

"The thing about Channel Islanders is if you tell them what to do, they will go and do the opposite. No one likes to be told what to do and they especially don't like to be told who they should and shouldn't vote for. I think that antagonised a lot of people,' said conseiller-elect Paul Armorgie (pictured), who owns Stock's Hotel. 'Sark News was an alarming piece of propaganda that rubbished a lot of well-known people. My name was in it as one of the people who should be voted in. I wasn't asked if they could use it and I wouldn't be surprised if that had lost me some votes.'"

The island has no libel laws, so the Sark News can pretty well run amok when it comes to vilifying those it does  not like.

The Telegraph - owned by the Barclays - notes that:

"Mr Dawes said of the Barclays, proprietors of Telegraph Media Group: "They do not want to control Sark but they do expect some sort of cooperation - in the way that any major investor would - to facilitate and not obstruct their plans for the island, if that investment is wanted."

It is notable that this article does not mention the planned introduction of cars and a helipad under their "plans for the island". It also notes:

Sark is a tax haven. It has attracted criticism over the years for allowing the so-called 'Sark lark' - where wealthy individuals have been able to pay its inhabitants fees and become nominal company directors, enabling them to operate beyond the power of regulators. The Barclays have campaigned to clamp down on the practice.

This is an amazing piece of spin! The "Sark Lark" was closed down in the wake of the Edwards report, an investigation into the Channel Islands conducted by Anthony Edwards commissioned by Home Secretary Jack Straw back in Tony's Blair's first term of office. This had nothing to do with the Barclays.

It should be noted that Sark is not the only tax haven where the Barclays live, so that calls for tax havens such as Sark to be closed would not effect them unduly. As the Guardian notes:

Despite investing huge sums in their Channel Island retreat, David and Frederick don't live in Brecqhou all year, partly because it is often freezing in winter. David, who suffers from ME, spends time in Switzerland because the fresh air in the Alps helps alleviate his condition. They also have a home in Monaco, where residents have tax-free status. The brother's super-yacht, Lady Beatrice,, is moored in the principality.


Links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/guernsey/7782198.stm
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/sarkees-vote-annoying-their-identical-twin-billionaire-neighbors/?hp
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/09/telegraphmediagroup-pressandpublishing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/dec/14/barclay-brothers-sark-telegraph-media-group
http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2008/12/15/shock-and-awe-blew-election-in-sark/