He can talk, Le Tocq, but can he walk le walk? Interview with Jonathan Le Tocq
William Le Lacheur is a national hero in Costa Rica, where his exploits are legendary. He helped the newly independent nation establish direct trade links with Europe, helping establish its economy. He also took young Costa Rican boys to London to get an education, brought Protestantism to Costa Rica, and helped them defeat an American filibuster, among many other things. However until recently he was little-known in his native land, the Channel island of Guernsey. Today his story might just be the start of a new relationship between Costa Rica and Guernsey. I reached out to Guernsey deputy and Lead Member for External Relations and Constitutional Affairs, Jonathan Le Tocq, to find out more:
There has been some reporting on an agreement of sorts with Costa Rica, what is it exactly that is being discussed with Costa Rica? How much does it cover?
No formal agreement is being negotiated with Costa Rica at present. However we are looking to foster stronger trade and cultural links between our jurisdictions based on the historic ties we have through Captain William Le Lacheur, a Guernsey ship owner and international trader who pioneered the coffee trade between Costa Rica and the United Kingdom in the middle of the 19th Century.
Are the talks going well? Have there been any notable obstacles to overcome regarding the partnership?
As stated above, no formal negotiations are currently being undertaken, however this is not being ruled out for the future. There are however synergies between Guernsey and Costa Rica today which we are looking to develop into stronger trade links, as well as similar challenges where we could learn from each other. Examples include the Guernsey’s investment and fund industry, the growth and success of the renewable energy industry in Costa Rica, the focus on Renewable Energy through the Guernsey Green Fund, the future of sustainable finance, digital and creative industries, tourism, education and skills training, etc.
In your manifesto you mention the need to regrow the economy, how do these talks tie into that?
Certainly Guernsey wants to strengthen and diversify its economy in order to remain a sustainable island jurisdiction and to play an appropriate constructive role in the world, especially where we can play to our strengths, eg. International investments, infrastructure funding, insurance and captive insurance, digital creative industries, health-related industries, green and marine renewables, maritime culture and tourism…
As a Crown Dependency, how much foreign policy can Guernsey independently pursue? Has Guernsey made similar partnerships in the past?
The Channel Islands bailiwicks are the oldest possession of the Crown, predating the Norman Conquest. As a result, although they are not Sovereign states – the Crown being sovereign – they have had their own island governments since separation from Normandy in 1204 and have never been governed from the UK. Nevertheless, prior to the Second World War the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey had international identities which were to a great extent seen as merged with the United Kingdom. In the aftermath of the war, a review took place which resulted in 1950 with the “Bevin Despatch” from the UK Foreign Office stating
“3. His Majesty’s Government have come to the conclusion that it would be more consistent with the constitutional position of these Islands to regard them for international purposes as not forming part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
As a result, thereafter, the islands were no longer automatically included in international treaties to which the UK signed up, but their respective governments could choose to do so after appropriate consultation had taken place. Further development of a distinct ‘international identity’ for the islands occurred in successive decades, allowing for ‘entrustment’ (a system whereby the islands can negotiate certain international agreements distinct from and separate to the UK) and in 2010 an ‘international identity’ framework was agreed which helped to establish the protocols for this.
This protocol of entrustment is the basis for which the Crown Dependencies enter into International Tax Information Exchange Agreements, Double Taxation Agreements, Social Security Agreements, Bilateral Investment Treaties etc. with several different nations.
This partnership ties into the green transition, but do you think that offsetting emissions is slowing emissions reduction by allowing ‘business as usual’? What is Guernsey doing to reduce its carbon emissions?
At COP26 which I attended there were several seminars which brought together representatives from and experts working with small island jurisdictions, focussing on their discrete needs and issues. One common theme was the speed at which such communities could tackle climate change and achieve net-zero, which would in the vast majority of cases require a longer time-frame than larger states (unless assisted or subsidised by such larger states) largely due to economies of scale, plus the particular issues of being by very nature isolated, island/maritime communities. As a result it was generally considered that schemes such as carbon-offsetting and other mitigating measures would be necessary so as to help provide an achievable ‘multi-step’ approach for small island communities.
Guernsey decided over twenty years ago to make a major change in energy production by investing in an electricity cable to France (around 45km away), thus removing the dependency on its locally generated, carbon-fuelled plant. Over the course of that time the import contract between the island and EDF in France has been negotiated to the extent that 100% of the power purchased is generated by renewables. As local generation currently amounts to no more than around 20% of the total annual power required, this means that Guernsey is well on the way to being carbon-free in terms of electricity supply. In addition to this we are actively investigating partnerships for the production of off-shore wind, solar and other renewables which could in the next decade or so make Guernsey a net exporter of renewable energy.
At first glance Costa Rica and Guernsey seem like a pretty unlikely team; who took the first step towards this partnership and why? Do you feel as though Costa Rica and Guernsey’s historical connection has had any effect on the partnership?
There have remained family and social contacts between us since William Le Lacheur’s days. However the Costa Rican government first contacted the Government of Guernsey officially around 8 years ago when I was Chief Minister, as significant dates and anniversaries regarding its independence were approaching. The Ambassador paid a visit to the island in 2019. Such is the significance of Le Lacheur to Costa Rica that their establishment as an independent nation and their success economically are all wrapped up together with his story.
A memorial in St Catherine Docks, London, to Le Lacheur was being planned by the Embassy and we were invited to participate. We decided that we would also plan to mark Le Lacheur’s life and connections with Costa Rica here in Guernsey with a plaque at his birthplace and in naming a new housing development park after him. The Guernsey Chamber of Commerce began to take a serious interest in establishing stronger economic and business links. As a result, this year, when both the London memorial and the Guernsey plaque were unveiled, government and industry representatives from both countries were present at all the events.
How will Guernsey benefit from the relations established with Costa Rica?
That largely awaits to be seen, but at the very least, school children are now learning the inspiring story of Le Lacheur, his adventures – sailing around Cape Horn in the middle of the 19th Century in wooden boats built in Guernsey, founding the first evangelical church in Costa Rica and donating the first Bibles printed in Spanish, taking young Costa Ricans to be educated in London and trained as apprentices, introducing Costa Rica to the game of football! Longer term, and touching on the needs of small islands to partner in some way with larger nations in combating climate change, we have hopes that we can learn from Costa Rica’s success and find synergies which could enable businesses to work together for our mutual benefit, investing in renewable energy and sustainable solutions.
As a Crown Dependency, how much foreign policy can Guernsey independently pursue? Has Guernsey made similar partnerships in the past?
The Channel Islands bailiwicks are the oldest possession of the Crown, predating the Norman Conquest. As a result, although they are not Sovereign states – the Crown being sovereign – they have had their own island governments since separation from Normandy in 1204 and have never been governed from the UK. Nevertheless, prior to the Second World War the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey had international identities which were to a great extent seen as merged with the United Kingdom. In the aftermath of the war, a review took place which resulted in 1950 with the “Bevin Despatch” from the UK Foreign Office stating
“3. His Majesty’s Government have come to the conclusion that it would be more consistent with the constitutional position of these Islands to regard them for international purposes as not forming part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”
As a result, thereafter, the islands were no longer automatically included in international treaties to which the UK signed up, but their respective governments could choose to do so after appropriate consultation had taken place. Further development of a distinct ‘international identity’ for the islands occurred in successive decades, allowing for ‘entrustment’ (a system whereby the islands can negotiate certain international agreements distinct from and separate to the UK) and in 2010 an ‘international identity’ framework was agreed which helped to establish the protocols for this.
This protocol of entrustment is the basis for which the Crown Dependencies enter into International Tax Information Exchange Agreements, Double Taxation Agreements, Social Security Agreements, Bilateral Investment Treaties etc. with several different nations.
Guernsey’s elections are held every four years to elect the 38 members of the States of Deliberation; they’re unique for several reasons, chief among them being the use of Plurality Block Voting. In this case voters have up to 38 votes, which they can allocate however they see fit between the various candidates.
Guernsey politics are rather unique, partly because Guernsey’s elections use plurality block voting, how does that affect Guernsey’s politics? What is it like to work in such a small parliament?
As “morceaux de France, tombés dans la mer et ramassés par l’Angleterre” the Channel Islands have tended to have a different way of doing things – ni anglais, ni francais! Political and government structures have evolved over the centuries since our “independence” from Normandy in 1204. Whilst a few political parties have emerged over the years in Guernsey, none have lasted long nor operated much like a European party. The vast majority of candidates for election in Guernsey stand as independents. As a result it will take longer after an election to work out what the government looks like; it takes a while for the 40 member (38 deputies plus 2 Alderney representatives) Assembly to elect its Chief Minister and his or her senior political colleagues. Even after that, due to the committee system, the Assembly (parliament) itself plays a much more dominant role than in other legislatures.
Seen from that angle, Guernsey politics can feel slow and resistant to change, however because it is small, the government can demonstrate an alacrity and nimbleness in achieving legislative change when it sees fit, and has demonstrated ability to innovate where Guernsey can play to its strength (eg. Captive insurance and protected cell companies).
As a local, and having been first elected over 20 years ago, it is difficult in a population of under 65000, to find any anonymity; everyone knows where we live, my mobile number and most will not hesitate to stop me in the street to ask a question or make a political point about something. That can be tough for some folk, but I actually welcome that as a real form of accountability – I can be myself – what you see is what you get! I’m not perfect, but I do enjoy what I do, especially representing Guernsey externally in the international arena.
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