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Island of Sark embraces democracy after 400 years
Times Online ^ | 4/10/08 | Staff

Posted on 04/19/2008 4:49:13 PM PDT by Dawnsblood

Lieutenant-Colonel Guille described life on the island as idyllic, adding: “It’s a very quiet and peaceful place, we are a self-sufficient, close-knit little community and we just like to get on with life away from the public eye.”

He said he believed that the island’s original settlers in the 16th century would be “quite pleased” with the changes. All of Sark’s original 40 colonising families were able to vote in the island’s elections. Lieutenant-Colonel Guille added: “That was an extremely democratic thing to do and very democratic for that age.”

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said: “We can confirm that the Reform (Sark) Law 2008 and the Real Property (Transfer Tax, Charging and Related Provisions) (Sark) Law 2007 were given Royal Assent by Her Majesty in Council today.It is now for Sark to implement the new legislation and to continue its process of constitutional reform.”

Sark's secrets

— Sark has 600 inhabitants

— There is no airstrip and tractors are the only motorised vehicles allowed on the island. Passengers and goods arriving by ferry from Guernsey are transported from the wharf by tractor-pulled vehicles

— Sark was occupied by German forces during the Second World War and many islanders were deported to Germany

— In 1991, Andre Gardes, an unemployed French nuclear physicist, attempted an invasion of the island, armed with a semi-automatic weapon. He was arrested by the island’s police officer while sitting on a bench, changing the gun’s magazine

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: universalsuffrage

1 posted on 04/19/2008 4:49:13 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
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To: Dawnsblood

Wasn’t it the first governor, Lord Sark, that invented sarcasm?


2 posted on 04/19/2008 5:51:01 PM PDT by jimfree (Freep and Ye shall find.)
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To: Dawnsblood

Google up the ‘Bank of Sark’, for an interesting story...


3 posted on 04/19/2008 6:04:00 PM PDT by mkjessup (Jimmy Carter is the skidmark in the panties of American history.)
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To: Dawnsblood
Like Zimbabwe, it'll end in tears
4 posted on 04/19/2008 6:19:03 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy ("Never apologize, Mister, it's a sign of weakness" - Nathan Brittles)
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To: jimfree
No, but it is there is a giant crevice that runs through the middle of the island, the world famous Sark Chasm.
5 posted on 04/19/2008 6:40:09 PM PDT by Hugin (Mecca delenda est!)
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To: Hugin
No, but it is there is a giant crevice that runs through the middle of the island, the world famous Sark Chasm.

Interestingly enough, so named not because of the island, but because it was first navigated by the ship named after this whisky:


6 posted on 04/19/2008 6:44:06 PM PDT by PugetSoundSoldier (Indignation over the sting of truth is the defense of the indefensible)
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