Further information
28.02.2008
A calendar with current dates of stamp fairs and stock exchanges was placed on-line.
Small warrant of apprehension of the channel islands
Into the center of this century on the islands Patois was predominantly spoken, a French dialect. On the individual islands the Idiome developed variably, so that experts differentiate even still between "Guernsey French", "Sark French" etc.. Today one hears only the English language, primarily the effects of the tourism from England and the British radio and television. The official parliament reports, which are drawn up today still in French, have a purely nostalgic character. It is really read verse-deaf in archives, because the "not official" English version.
Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney have own parliaments, the "States". With this term German translators have trouble often. They speak usually of "states", although them it must be clear that that does not result in a sense. It stands in nearly all word books that "the States" is nothing different one than "the conditions". The States of the islands goes back to the norman condition of parliaments. On Sark the parliament is called not "States", but "Chief Pleas".
Politically there are 2 administrative districts within the channel islands, which Bailiwick of Jersey (consisting of the island and unite uninhabited rock, like the Minquieres) and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, to which except Guernsey also still Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou and Brequou belong.
The islands belong not to England (by the way also not to the European Union), are not subordinate also to the English legislation, but are crown land townsmen of the English queen. This uses certain civil servants and regulates over the Privy Council certain laws and procedures on political level. With regard to foreign policy and militarily the channel islands are represented by England, in nearly all other political affairs can local parliaments themselves to decide. The two Bailiwicks have confirmed by a document tax -, finance -, jurisdiction in customs matters and their own right of coining money. That means that one does not have to show a passport in the passenger traffic between the Bailiwick and England, very probably however through the customs inspection to go concretely it has! Legal currency is the Guernsey and jersey Pound, which is on an equal footing the English currency however 1:1.
the (established) inhabitants of the channel islands are English citizens, gotten however a special passport, which expels the owner as a citizen one of the two Bailiwicks
Until few decades ago principal source of income of the islands was the agriculture. The Guernsey and the jersey cattle enjoy world-wide an excellent call and Guernseys tomatoes on nearly all breakfast tabels in England were served. Today most incomes originate from the tourism and particularly from the fact that the islands are Guernsey and jersey of tax havens. Numerous mail box firms bring money. Little admits is the circumstance, that here is an important financial turntable for completely large Deals. There is practically no large bank of the world, which does not have a branch or at least an office on Guernsey and on jersey.
Between Guernsey and jersey a similar "cordial" relationship by the way prevails as between Prussia and Bavaria. Don't ask a Guernseyman as one "St. Helier" pronounce (so are called never Jersey's capital). He will say to you: "one does not express!"