Select a region
Deputy Neil Inder has accepted a caution after a Code of Conduct complaint against him, for comments he made about staff at VisitGuernsey, was upheld.
Deputy Dawn Tindall who lodged the complaint has said she is happy with the outcome. The outcome of a second complaint she lodged against Deputy Inder is still being considered as a separate matter.
You can read the full statement from the Code of Conduct Panel here.
The initial complaint related to comments made by Deputy Inder during an interview with BBC Guernsey on 25 February 2019.
Deputy Tindall lodged her complaint under the Code of Conduct for Members of the States of Deliberation asserting that Deputy Inder had 'breached section 9 of the Code by what he said in an interview concerning tourism in Guernsey'.
She had taken offence to what he said about Visit Guernsey and in particular she complained that he had referred to her as someone with a “tissue thin ego” and “an empty chair”. Her complaint also referred to his description of civil servants generally but in particular those at Visit Guernsey.
The Code of Conduct Panel decided there was merit in the complaint and an Investigation Panel was asked to consider the matter in further detail. When that Panel met on Monday this week, they met both Deputy Tindall and Deputy Inder. It was also decided that Deputy Tindall's complaint should be treated in two parts.
Firstly, the Panel found that Deputy Tindall was wrong in her belief that Deputy Inder had aimed his comments at her. The Panel instead found that Deputy Inder’s comments were misconstrued by Deputy Tindall and have said "we find in that respect that Deputy Inder had not breached the Code of Conduct for States’ Members."
He was found to have breached the Code of Conduct in relation to the second part of the complaint though.
"Members who wish to criticise them should adhere to the correct practices and procedures," said the Panel in relation to the first part of Deputy Tindall's complaint. The Panel also said that, "in the interview broadcast on BBC Guernsey on the 20 February Deputy Inder did not afford the civil servants concerned that respect and courtesy because he publicly criticised them in the media in circumstances in which they were unable to respond. As a Member of the States, Deputy Inder is subject to the Code of Conduct which clearly states that he owes a duty to civil servants. In that regard, we find that he breached section 9 of the Code of Conduct for States Members."
The breach of conduct has been deemed 'of a minor nature' by the Investigation Panel, which has already cautioned Deputy Inder.
Pictured: The complaint centred around comments made regarding Visit Guernsey and the body's staff. Inset: Deputy Dawn Tindall.
Deputy Tindall has accepted the findings of the Code of Conduct Panel and has said she is pleased with the outcome. She went to on to say Deputy Inder has launched a further "unwarranted attack" on her character, which is still subject to investigation by the Panel.
"I am pleased to note that my complaint under the Code of Conduct, which was submitted on the 25th February, has been upheld and that Deputy Inder has accepted the caution.
"Immediately following my initial complaint, Deputy Inder made comments to, and in, all forms of media, which constituted a serious and unwarranted attack on my character. These included what he said on the 1st March to the BBC, and his comments on Facebook and in the Guernsey Press; evidence of which I provided to the Panel in support of my first complaint.
"These comments went further than the substance of my first complaint and, as such, were serious enough to warrant a second. I had asked the Panel whether these could be dealt with in their consideration of my initial complaint, as it would be detrimental to both myself and to Deputy Inder to go through the process a second time. Regrettably, however, they were not addressed at this stage, and so my second complaint has had to be submitted. I hope for the sake of all involved that the Panel concludes its consideration of that complaint expeditiously, so that we can bring this episode to an end."
Pictured: Deputy Neil Inder.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.