Guernsey to forge more trade links with France

Better business links with northern France and potential competition for Aurigny are priorities for Guernsey's new Economic Development president.

Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller told Island FM she is settling into her new role as head of the Economic Development Committee, but already the work is stacking up.

Ahead lie reviews of air policy and Guernsey's most important industry, finance.

But in terms of visible changes to islanders, Island FM heard that more fresh French food on our supermarket shelves and French building firms working on local projects could hint at improved trade links with Brittany and Normandy:

"They are very strong agricultural producers and potentially we can look at importing some fresh produce into Guernsey.

"They've got construction companies that are already starting to work with our local market, Groupe Legendre for example is working with the Guernsey Housing Association." 

Deputy Kazantseva-Miller studied management and business at the London School of Economics and also ran her own company:

"The economy was at the heart of a lot of the election manifestos and a desire for government to put more focus on economic development, but my committee does not have all the levers. The economy sits across government."

She says Guernsey's size enables its economy to move quickly and businesses and start ups have been in awe of how quickly meetings can be arranged with key stakeholders. She sees being nimble as a key Guernsey asset. 

Deputy Kazantseva-Miller is keen to get more competition into Guernsey's airline market without detrimentally affecting the States-owned airline:

"The Air Policy Framework is not centred around protecting Aurigny.

"It's a framework we need to develop because the current one expires next year, to make sure it meets the objectives of affordability, reliability and connectivity."

Finance and its sustainability will be under the spotlight in an imminent review and Deputy Kazantseva-Miller is keen to use local expertise where possible, rather than external consultants:

"There will be a very big engagement piece with industry so this shows how can we blend the talent and the insights that we've got here with that professional advice."

Building more housing remains a key States objective and deputy Kazantseva-Miller is vice president of the new committee that she helped form towards the end of the last States term.