FAB police enquiries continue

Tuesday 03 March 2020

The former Chairman of Alderney's Policy and Finance Committee has described allegations of financial impropriety over his work for the FAB link as "nonsense".

Robert McDowall served on the States of Alderney from 2013 to 2016, when negotiations were taking place with Alderney Renewable Energy on a plan to run an electrical interconnector over the island.

The topic divided opinion and generated high feeling on both sides of the debate.

Following changes to the planning law and a new Land Use Plan, FAB no longer intends to run the cable across the island. However, in some quarters feeling still runs high.

Last year, a 'consortium' of residents took allegations of financial impropriety to a firm of London lawyers, who then interviewed around a dozen people. They took their findings to the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General.

The MoJ referred the matter to Guernsey Police.

Pictured: The claims are being investigated by Guernsey Police.

Last week, two officers from Bailiwick Law Enforcement's Economic Crime Division visited Alderney and interviewed several people connected to the island's States about the allegations.

Mr McDowall was one of those interviewed, over consultancy work he had undertaken for ARE between 2010 and 2011 - he was then part of a private equity brokering and investment firm called UbiCap.

"There was a one off package of work that we were asked to do looking at restructuring ARE to get wider investment," he explained. "I was not a States Member then. We ran the company down in 2013."

Mr McDowall said the police also interviewed him about the circumstances of how way leave was granted by the States for the FAB link.

He said officers had visited in order to 'close the file' on the allegations, which will be passed on to Guernsey Law Officers. In return, Mr McDowall handed the police a file of "Facebook bile" from FAB protestors, which had been directed at him.

"I know the author and the police were not very happy about it," he added. "I suggested cautioning them.

"The comments didn't hurt me because I have a very thick skin, but those claims were made while police were investigating the matter and could have impacted on the process."

Mr McDowall said he understood the matter would be resolved in the next couple of months, after Law Officers have reviewed the material.

A Bailiwick Law Enforcement spokesperson said: "Two officers from Bailiwick Law Enforcement's Economic Crime Division were in Alderney last week and reviewed relevant material linked to a complaint made by a consortium of Alderney residents.

"It would be inappropriate to make any further comments at this time."

Pictured top: Alderney.