Protest ahead of Guernsey anti-discrimination law vote

Those gathered were against exempting small businesses from the new law and any delays to bringing it in

About 150 people gathered outside Guernsey's Royal Court ahead of a States debate on a new anti-discrimination law.

The law aims to protect islanders from discrimination on five grounds - sexual orientation, race, disability, carer status and religious belief.

The debate follows almost a decade of drafting, campaigning and consulting.

People were protesting against political motions to adapt the "long-awaited legislation".

Sixteen amendments have been submitted.

Mark Vaudin said it was disappointing to see "silly amendments that aren't really needed" being put forward

Mark Vaudin, who was among those outside the Royal Court, said the legislation had been needed for a long time and it was disappointing to see "silly amendments" being put forward.

"Hopefully... their heart is in the right place and we'll get the right result at the end of the day."

Deputy Chris Blin said it would be "a lot harder" for small businesses to make changes

Deputy Chris Blin is leading the proposal to exempt businesses with five or fewer staff from the law, which has received backlash.

He said: "Something in the region of 60% of Guernsey's businesses are these small companies.

"When you're a small business it's a lot harder to undertake some of the changes - whether it be flexibility of hours for carers.

"We have thought this through and spoken to Employment and Social Security.

"We are going further than other jurisdictions. This will give some of Guernsey's smaller companies chances to adapt."

Sherri Le Lacheur said employers could support staff with disabilities with small changes

Sherri Le Lacheur has Charcot-Marie-Tooth, which affects her ability to walk and stand for long periods of time.

She said she was given "reasonable adjustments" when she was previously employed by the States of Guernsey.

"They were brilliant. I had problems with walking through desks so they moved my desk five feet, it cost nothing. They got me a chair, it cost £180. These are small costs," she said.

"If we'd asked for a rebuild from the States of Guernsey, that would have been unreasonable. We're not asking for that, just reasonable adjustments to make life easier.

"This law is so important, it's important to every disabled person on this island."

Campaigners spoke to those gathered outside the Royal Court on Wednesday

Jon Moulton, from think tank GPEG, said: "We support the vast majority of this bill... the things that we object to are practicalities and the access."

He said the "definition of reasonable adjustments is open to being changed over time" and "little companies are going to struggle a lot".

President of Employment and Social Security Deputy Peter Roffey is leading the proposals for the anti-discrimination legislation.

He said: "The irony of all this is we have compromised and consulted and we have arrived at a piece of legislation that the island's big business groups are happy with. None have got everything they want, but they are saying this is OK."

The legislation is due to be phased in over the next six years.

Meanwhile work on the next stage of the legislation, which will include "equal pay for work of equal value" for all, the modernisation of existing sex-based discrimination law and laws to tackle "multiple and intersectional" forms of discrimination, is due to continue with a target of implementation of 2026.

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