Liberation Day Public Holidays 2010

Friday 05 March 2010

The Department is this month asking the States to review its previous resolution on Public Holidays as they relate to Liberation Day in 2010.

Last year, the Department responded to views that, because 9th May fell on a Sunday in 2010, Monday 10th should be a declared a Public Holiday to mark the 65th anniversary of the Island’s Liberation.

As public holidays are designated by Ordinance, the Department submitted a Report to the States last September and received full support for its proposal. This left the traditional May 9th Public Holiday in place and established an additional Public Holiday on Monday 10th for 2010 only. The States approved the legislation bringing that change into effect at its January meeting.

However, in January of this year, concerns were expressed in Policy Council, regarding the possible costs to the public sector and to business that might arise from the 10th May being an extra Public Holiday this year.

Whilst Sunday is not a working day for most people, some employees in the public and private sectors, have contractual entitlements to a day of leave in lieu if a Public Holiday falls at a weekend.

The Department listened to the concerns raised by Policy Council and, following a further review, agreed that it should propose that the 9th May was, for 2010 only, not designated as a Public Holiday. Hence the States Report in this month’s Billet.

The Department is fully supportive of 9th May as a special day for Guernsey that commemorates the suffering s and sacrifices of Islanders during the occupation years. The 9th May is - and has been since 1945 - “Liberation Day”, whenever it falls in the week. This proposal simply moves the associated Public Holiday, designated by Ordinance, to the 10th May.