Landmark meeting to take place online due to coronavirus pandemic.

The States of Deliberation will hold its first official ‘virtual’ meeting this afternoon (Tuesday 14th April) at 2pm.

It follows a trial meeting held on Thursday 9th. The States Meeting will be held on MS Teams, which has already been widely used to facilitate Committee Meetings and other government business since the necessary ‘lock down’ restrictions were introduced as part of  the Bailiwick’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The virtual meeting will see States Members, the Presiding Officer and other officials attend remotely. The public can also follow the proceedings through the public link: https://bit.ly/3eilcfQ

In order to ensure the virtual meeting can be held as smoothly as possible, some small changes to the normal Rules of Procedure have been agreed. For example, amendments to the majority of propositions must be submitted at least 24 hours before the meeting.

States Greffier Simon Ross said: ‘This is a first for Guernsey’s government but after Thursday’s trial run, we are confident it will be an effective way of holding the meetings remotely. Just like all other parts of the States of Guernsey we’ve had to adjust to solutions such as remote working. We’ve had to work hard, work together and work inventively to do it, and that includes everyone from the staff who organise and administrate the meeting, the States’ digital partners who’ve provided us with solutions to allow remote working, and of course States Members themselves.’