JLGC staff Andrew Stevens and Marie Yoshikawa visited the Channel Islands for the first time, in what is hoped to begin a new relationship and understanding of the Crown Dependencies, the self-governing islands associated with the United Kingdom. The visit to Guernsey and Jersey follows a visit in May to the Isle of Man, the third Crown Dependency, to research its tax regime and legal status.
While on the islands, they met with Guernsey’s Chief Minister Deputy Lyndon Trott and Jersey’s Assistant Chief Minister Senator Freddie Cohen, as well as Jersey Housing Minister Deputy Andrew Green MBE. Meetings were also held with staff of the Guernsey Finance and Jersey Finance promotional bodies, as well as the Director Generals of each island’s Financial Services Commission – Nik van Leuvan (Guernsey) and John Harris (Jersey). The islands’ taxation systems were discussed with Jersey’s international adviser Colin Powell CBE and Guernsey’s director of income tax Rob Gray. Courtesy visits also took place to the parish halls of capitals St Peter Port and St Helier.
While the visit was largely concerned with studying how the two islands are using their legal status to promote their jurisdictions and economies internationally, discussions also took place around how Guernsey is seeking more renewable energy sources to secure the island’s energy security and promote new industries, and how Jersey brands its agricultural products as well as the challenges it faces around the higher education of its younger population. It was agreed that both islands could stand to learn from and engage with innovation, business opportunities and challenges faced by Japan in these areas.
