As a specialist local retailer, we are struggling enough as it is with recession and increasing internet competition. In my area of sales I have to compete with huge companies like Amazon who have the purchasing power to buy stock in massive quantities thus buying it at a cheaper price. I hear people saying, (for instance) 'washing machine £300 Guernsey price, Amazon price £240.' I can tell these people that some of the lines that I sell that are available on Amazon cost me more than Amazon are selling them. The reason they are able to sell at those prices is the quantities they buy lowers the price for them, they also don't have the overheads a shop has. Our commercial rents are astronomical, I am based just outside town as I couldn't afford the high street rents. I import from America and already pay up to 17% duty on my customers most loved products, add GST in to the bundle and that is going to be the final straw that broke the back of all little local retailers. How on earth will we be able to compete with internet prices then? It will kill our high street, that is inevitable. I realize the states have to find a way to raise revenue as our population gets older, we have to be able to balance the islands income. But they must see that the reason our population is getting older is because our young people can't afford to live here! They are gaining qualifications, moving away and paying taxes elsewhere. Who can blame them? A 2 bedroom house here costs £300k plus, one bigger in Scotland for instance costs £200k or less. Surely those in control can see that by making it even harder to live here they are actually going to lose more valuable young families? A big resounding NO! from me.

#2: Ann - Retail sector.