The new body aims to help the island have a strong sustainable economic future

The Guernsey Policy & Economics Group has held their launch meeting at a packed St Pierre Park Hotel.

The founders say that Guernsey's first think tank, known as GPEG, has been established to provide high quality thought leadership to help create a strong, long-term economic future for the Bailiwick.

Chairman Lord Digby Jones hosted the evening in front of many of Guernsey's politicians, business leaders and members of the public, said it was everybody's responsibility to help the community thrive in these difficult times:

"It is very important that the whole island is taken forward together and everyone feels part of it. Politicians and civil servants need help on getting research done, getting analysis done and deciding what to do for the island based on fact and not on opinion.

"We want to provide that analysis. We have no politicians in our midst, we have no vested interests and we are completely voluntary. I want donations of time and expertise just as much as I want money. The idea is not to give a politician a nasty surprise but to work with them behind the scenes but if they put up a brick wall let's use the media or make speeches to put the pressure on but not be threatening.

"This is everything to do with everybody, because the island is very special but we sometimes lose sight of how lucky we are. But, at the same time we have to be internationally competitive and provide a good quality job for a youngster, we have to take the fear out of getting old, on the other hand we've also got to raise the money to do it. So there is always this balance. And we must use local talent as there are many people here with tremendous expertise and we must use it."