Following the debate at the March States Meeting when the requette on leisure boat mooring charges for 2024 was narrowly defeated, the local mooring holders are seeking support from boat owners and their supporters to oppose any future increases above inflation being planned by Guernsey Ports and the States Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) for 2025 and 2026.
The boat owners have drafted a petition for all to sign expressing their reasons for objecting to the 20-30% increases recently imposed and any future increases.
The current charges are inequitable and will be to the long-term detriment of the local leisure marine user groups and those who work within the local marine industry.
The facilities provided by Guernsey Harbours to local leisure berth holders fall well short of facilities available in other ports and we continue to believe that comparisons to other ports are misleading and an attempt to charge for facilities that are both sub-standard and in some instances not even provided.
There is good reason to suggest that the evidence commissioned by and provided to the STSB and subsequently to the States members was highly selective and skewed, and did not reflect fairly the whole market or the qualitive difference of the offerings of the more comprehensive analysis undertaken by the Guernsey Marine Traders Association (GMTA) and the Guernsey Boat Owners Association (GBA).
The proposed increases help fund the admitted continuous cross-subsidy paid for by all harbour users to support the losses incurred at Guernsey Airport. Harbour users are paying more than the relevant costs of running the harbours to support the airport.
Nick Guillemette, President of the GBA, stated, “ At the recent States meeting in March several States Deputies forcefully expressed their concerns that as they had only received 14+ letters of objection to the 2024 mooring charges out of 1600 local mooring holders, that the rest of the leisure boat owners must be happy with the proposed hefty increases!”
“Totally untrue and very misleading”, Mr. Guillemette said. “ As a result, we have combined with the local marine trade and all of the boating Associations to produce this petition and we need as many folk as possible to support this petition and our objections. Whether you are a boat owner or just a supporter, please ensure you don’t delay and sign this petition.”
Thank you for your support.
Copies of this petition are available for signature at the following venues:
Marine & General, Boatworks, Herm Seaway, AB Marine, Sunsport Marine, Fastcraft, Guernsey Yacht Club, Royal Channel Island Yacht Club, Interseals, CJ’s Northside Café, and Sun Yachts Ltd.
