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St. Martin's Church |
St. Peter Port Harbour and Castle Cornet |
Capital : St. Peter Port
The Bailiwick comprises Guernsey (including Herm, Jethou & Lihou), Alderney and Sark (including Brecqhou)
Government: The Islands have been dependencies of the British Crown since 1204. However, at no time since the Norman Conquest has the evolution of the Islands’ constitution involved amalgamation with, or subjection to, the government of the United Kingdom. The Islands’ link with the United Kingdom and the remainder of the Commonwealth is through the Sovereign who exercises supreme legislative and judicial powers in the Bailiwick. Each of the three main Islands has its own legislative assembly.
The Lieutenant-Governor is Her Majesty’s personal representative and through him each Island has an independent relationship with the United Kingdom. The Lord Chancellor is the Privy Counsellor primarily concerned with the affairs of the Islands and is the channel of communication between them and the Crown and the United Kingdom Government. By convention the United Kingdom has assumed responsibility for the Bailiwick’s foreign affairs, but even in those matters, the United Kingdom only acts with the consent of the States of Guernsey, the States of Alderney and Chief Pleas of Sark. Accordingly, the Bailiwick legislatures can, and frequently do, legislate independently to implement international agreements. The administration is in effect parallel with that of the United Kingdom rather than subordinate to it.
The Islands have a special relationship with the European Union by virtue of Protocol 3 to the United Kingdom’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community. This relationship cannot be changed without the unanimous agreement of all the Member States of the Community.
Contact details : If you would like to know more about the Bailiwick of Guernsey, please go to www.gov.gg