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| The late Richard Meacock |
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IT IS WITH THE UTMOST GRIEF AND ENORMOUS REGRET THAT WE ANNOUNCE THE DEATH OF RICHARD MEACOCK, veteran campaigner, beloved husband of Hilary, father of Dominic, Theodore, Duncan and Danae. Grandfather of Sapphire, Dylan, Kayleigh, Kyle and Safiya born 19th July, too late for him to meet her..
Richard died on the 9th April 2006, aged 65..
This honest man, with his sense of humour and his campaigning will be sorely missed. We have lost a true son of Guernsey and the United Kingdom.
May he rest in peace and rise in glory, and may his campaigns continue in his memory. |
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| St Peter Port seafront |
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| St Peter Port is a Georgian Colonial Gem. The prettiest coastal town in Europe, alongside Portofino. - the alleyways, the cobbled streets, stairs up to the side valleys, the French indoor market, fisherman's harbour etc are straight out of Rupert Bears' seaside holiday. Ships come and go right into the centre of the shops - What a wonderful place to visit. |
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| The Guernsey Flag |
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Could this picture postcard of tranquil prosperity be the model solving every country's problems ? Working hard in glorious surroundings, enjoying a standard of living and a `happiness index', according to Gallup Polls, better than enywhere else. How is it that £200 billion is invested in The Islands Trust Funds? Why do jets scurry to and fro from Europe's Airports full of businesspeople carrying briefcases, all day every day. In the harbour and marina's there are yachts quite at home in Cannes or the West Indies. Property prices match the highest in the British Isles - the latest example being flats now being built on the site of the Royal Hotel at £2 to £5 million each.
The answer lies in the status of the Islands relationship with UK and the rest of the World. It's `independant' and able to set it's own Tax Rules. In fact some Rules, like `No Inheritance or Capital Gains Taxes' at all. This attracts corporate bodies to set up on the Island even though they do most of their business elsewhere. Is this fair? Is it a safe place for your money? Why not save Tax which you feel your government will only waste if they get hold of it? |
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| The Famous Guernsey Cow |
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| Guernsey Tomato |
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| So those smart office doors, electronic surveillance, Hollywood Foyers, lavish cars, yachts and private jets, mean visiting Guernsey is rubbing shoulders with the Elite. |
But what about the islanders? Has their Island been stolen from them? Have they a say in what's going on?
The traditional industries of knitting pullovers, building boats, family seaside holidays, fishing, growing tomatoes, milk and butter from the the World Famous Guernsey breed - have these prospered at the same rate? Or have they shrunk and now at threat of extinction on the mighty altar of Finance?
The Visitor & Islander alike would love to know the real story of this monumental wealth flowing though the concentration of Banks, Accountants & Lawyers. | There seems to be a level of secrecy & intrigue which is exciting, tangible and maybe just a little too close to the wind. But who cares? Do people care? Do the poverty stricken 90% of the hard working people in the 3rd World care? Would or should it matter even if they did? |
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| Flagged `clean' beach at Vazon |
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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Now is the time for Guernsey to take the lead and become the most advanced example of waste disposal techniques in “The World”. To grasp the nettle and become “The Recycling Centre” – on the moral highground of Sustainable Development – the example to follow.
The alternative is dire, to trudge along as a pale failure in England’s wake making the same mistakes which “The Incinerator” exemplifies. Dangerous, expensive, wasteful, polluting, retrograde, ugly, negative and doomed. The Incinerator’s very existence reducing the notion of re-use of materials by their destruction. An insult to `The Creator’.
Kerbside recycling will be fun, different colour bags for everyone to feel they are taking part in a giant leap forward, something for Guernsey to be good at, collected for the sole purpose of re-using everything. Waste Not, Want Not. A positive purposeful aim to succeed, a game to win, to be the best at.
The largest element of `rubbish’ is paper, card, rags etc which can be mixed with sewage and livestock slurry in Bio gas plants (Anaerobic Digestors). This produces sterilised soil to be put back onto farmland AND gas for energy generation. This kills two birds with one stone at a price still way below anything like `The Incinerator’. We get sewage treatment thrown in (the treatment produces sterilised soil which is odourless-). Guernsey can hardly boast being “The White Knight of Waste Disposal” without sewage treatment. Tyres can be fragmented and mixed with tarmacadam for new quiet roads. Builders rubble for clean land reclaimation, in Guernsey’s case further land from the sea as time goes by. Guernsey’s new vision of a highly respected, highly regulated `Finance Sector’, squeaky clean, can only be improved by this recycling initiative.
It’s a World Beater concept.
Richard Meacock, Rockhaven, Delancey Lane, St Sampsons, GY2 4BY. 01481 248008. 21/9/04.
Download as a poster
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