I read about Ellen MacArthur’s trip to South Georgia last Sunday so I thought I would have a look at the delights of South Georgia on line today. I was amazed to find that this proud little island, which once had a population of 2000,  has its own little website.

It is a perfect Fabian  statelet. There are no permanent inhabitants (it’s a bit chilly even in summer) ruining the ambience but it has a Government of four , it actually charges income tax !

Those temporary residents include:

There are 2 Government Officers and spouses, up to 25 British Antarctic Survey personnel at 2 research stations and up to 4 Museum staff in the summer months.

Everybody works for the Government or a Quango, it’s a perfect Brownist Statelet, with no working class to foul up the equation.

It is even anti business !

This is not possible.

Immigration is forbidden.

No, this is not possible. There are no South Georgia residents.

It even has its own Laws !

The Harbour Fees Regulations (1994) set harbour dues for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. In 1998 amended Regulations came into force to set revised harbour dues; the amended Regulations are the Harbour (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 1998.

The Pensions (Amendment) Ordinance (1994) adopts as law of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands the Pensions (Amendment) Ordinance 1987 of the Falkland Islands.

The Antarctic Regulations (1997) were enacted under the UK’s Antarctic Act 1994 (Overseas Territories) Order 1995. They prescribe, amongst other things, the procedure by which applications can be made for permits (to visit Antarctica) under the Act, including provisions relating to environmental evaluations, production of permits and their revocation or suspension.

The Export of Arms Proclamation (1997) gives effect in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands to various international arms embargoes, which the UK Government agreed shall be applied to this territory.

The Export of Anti-Personnel Landmines Proclamation (1997) gives effect in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands to the UK Government’s policy of prohibiting the export of anti-personnel landmines to all countries as part of its commitment to work actively towards a total global ban on the use of such mines.

FFS There is nobody living there !!!!!!!

You can take part in Public Consultations !

The Financial Accounts to 2008 show a surplus of £1.2 m mostly from (70%) fishing licences, nearly 80% of the GDP is taken up in Government expenditure, and the British Tax payer has ‘equity’ of some £12.7m.

The British Antarctic Survey used to be funded by taxing the whale industry.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a publicly funded organisation delivering world-leading environmental research and training the next generation of researchers. It is the UK’s main agency for funding and strategically directing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences.

The ‘Town Meetings’ are somewhat easier to get to-

The ‘South Georgia Town Meeting’ will take place at British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge on September 28th 2010. It will include discussions about the science currently being done at South Georgia and presentations on the history, geology and oceanography, wildlife and fisheries in South Georgia. There will also be information on the accommodation, scientific facilities, logistic support, means of reaching the Island etc. that prospective scientific visitors will need.

That is Cambridge UK, not Cambridge, South Georgia.

So there you go, Libertarians being beaten to the chase in setting up their own State built on Libertarian lines. The Fabian Socialists and Ecoistas have beaten us to it.

A perfect state where others pay for everything either through taxpayer ‘equity’ or taxing the passing fishing trade. Everybody works for the Government or a Quango. Lots of laws to obey and total commitment to a green agenda. A Fabian Paradise.

Hang on !If the UK taxpayer has ‘equity’ does that mean we are shareholders in this social enterprise ?   Hmmm.

Andrew P. Withers.