The event is being organised in Guernsey in November by the Jersey and Guernsey Law Review, which is edited by Sir Philip Bailhache, the Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility for foreign relations.
The Senator says that the event, entitled ‘Channel Island confederation? Next steps’, will be an opportunity to explore how shared laws under a Court of Appeal of the Channel Islands could create joint regulators and services, saving millions of pounds for taxpayers in both islands.
‘We know that we are actually two entities and that Jersey and Guernsey are quite independent of each other in almost everything we do,’ said Senator Bailhache, ‘but it makes good sense both constitutionally and financially for the Channel Islands to be much closer than they are at the present. Is it too much in the future to contemplate a Channel Islands foreign minister? Could
Jersey cope with a Guernsey foreign minister, or vice-versa?
‘The conference will look at what is happening on the ground now, in terms of co-operation and looking at things we could do together, for example merging financial regulation and creating regulatory institutions that are Channel Islands-based, rather than Jersey-based or Guernsey-based.’
Full story in Tuesday’s JEP
