The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

Dig This - a podcast for Guernsey

The Quarry is committed to shining a light on the vital role of the arts in our society, those involved and the opportunities provided.

As part of that we have launched a new podcast series in partnership with Guernsey Arts.

Here, Etienne Marquis discusses his journey so far, his process, and talks us through his latest exhibition, The Bleeding Veil.

It is on at The Greenhouse Gallery until 31 August.

WATCH: Dig This - In The Gallery with Etienne Marquis

The Quarry - Independent news from GuernseyNick Mann

Dig Deeper

• Independent planning inspector identifies 'material shortfall' in affordable housing land with only 17-unit surplus over six years, compared to 706-unit surplus for private market housing
• Inspector Keith Holland recommends adding six new sites at Cobo, L'Islet, St Martin, Castel, and Forest to create 'buffer supply' for affordable housing development
• Development & Planning Authority accepts only two recommended sites (Springhurst House and Sandy Hook) while rejecting four others and inspector's advice to scrap Vazon local centre designation
• Guernsey delivered average of just 34 affordable units annually from 2015-2024, 'very significantly below' identified need, with large projects risking delays from contamination and infrastructure issues
• Inspector recommends lowering Policy GP11 threshold from 20 to five dwellings and establishing firm Benchmark Land Values to prevent developers using speculative land prices to avoid affordable housing obligations

In other news...

• Guernsey Financial Services Commission fined Artemis Trustees Limited £450,000 for serious and systemic failures to monitor financial crime risks involving high-risk clients with links to Libra and Russia.
• Investigation uncovered cases where Artemis helped clients obscure ownership structures, failed to scrutinise suspicious transfers of millions through high-risk jurisdictions, and missed red flags on sanctioned individuals.
• Firm maintained massive review backlog with 85% of files outstanding in 2016, some entities not reviewed since 2002 establishment, and misclassified high-risk clients as standard risk.
• Directors and staff accepted significant share gifts from client without proper approval, creating conflicts of interest, while firm lacked policies on staff dealing in client company securities or handling cryptocurrency risks.
• Director misled regulator in 2017 about progress reducing outstanding action points, and firm failed to make timely disclosures to Financial Intelligence Service despite identifying multiple suspicious indicators.

• Samuel Bouwer Smith from Castel school wins first prize in Pollinator Project's annual schools art competition for second time
• Competition receives 10,000th entry since launch, with special prize awarded to Isla Aylward from St Anne's school in Alderney for most realistic solitary bee
• More than 1,300 entries received from pre-schools and primary schools across Bailiwick in competition's eighth year
• Category prizes awarded to Daisy Lower, Lewis Pengelley and Sophie Renouf, with Juno Bamford and Arthur Carré taking second and third places
• All entries on display at Guille-Allès library until end of July, with Rothschild & Co sponsoring competition for second year

• Policy & Resources Committee has published detailed responses to questions about the 2026 Tax Reform Package from Deputy Curgenven
• GST revenue estimates include cautious assumptions and do not account for increased spending from households with higher disposable income
• Approximately 1,700 businesses expected to register for GST, representing more than 97% of aggregate business turnover
• Proposed International Services Entity scheme expected to generate around £11m annually while minimising administrative burdens
• Committee encourages islanders to review published responses and use online calculator to assess personal impact of tax reforms

• Guernsey Trading Standards warns parents about counterfeit squishy dumpling toys following UK recall of versions containing unsafe benzene levels
• No counterfeit versions currently known to be sold in the Bailiwick, but parents may encounter them online or whilst travelling during summer holidays
• Genuine toys should have UKCA or CE marks, manufacturer details, age recommendations and safety warnings on packaging
• Warning signs of counterfeits include suspiciously low prices, petrol-like smells, missing packaging or spelling mistakes
• Trading Standards also warns against dangerous social media trend of microwaving squishy toys, which can cause hot gel to burst out and cause burns

This week's audio briefing

The Weekly Briefing from The Quarry

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Guernsey Gazette

Guernsey Post has updated its terms and conditions for universal postal services.

Nine Black Poplar trees in Vale have been placed under protection orders, with objections due by 4 August 2026.

The building at 4 Tower Hill in St Peter Port has been removed from the protected buildings list.

GFSC notices

Artemis Trustees Limited

Mr Robert Archibald Gilchrist Sinclair

Mr Ian Charles Domaille, Mr Ian Geoffrey Clarke and Mrs Margaret Helen Hannis