"Disappointed" and "annoyed" but name cleared

Thursday 01 February 2018

Deputy Peter Ferbrache says he is annoyed at the actions of some of his fellow politicians, after he was cleared of any wrong doing in the so-called "Ferbrache & Farrell case".

The former President of Economic Development was exonerated in a review released yesterday, along with the Public Trustee.

Both stood down from their high profile roles towards the end of 2017 after it was revealed the Public Trustee had spent £300,000 of tax payers money on legal work through the law firm. Deputy Peter Ferbrache is a partner in Ferbrache & Farrell but at the time he said he didn't know about the case. The ED President oversees the work of the Public Trustee but he said he was not aware she had authorised that work.

A review of the situation, carried out internally, found:

• The Public Trustee acted within her powers to accept the case
• The Public Trustee followed existing practice and custom throughout
• The appointment of Ferbrache & Farrell was solely a matter for the Public Trustee under the law
• No evidence of a breach by the former President of the Committee for Economic Development of the Code of Conduct for Members of the States of Deliberation

You can read the findings in full here.

In response, Deputy Ferbrache, speaking on behalf of himself only, told Express there can "only be one interpretation":

"I knew that if properly investigated this was the only conclusion that could be reached.

"I can only add that I am disappointed wth the length of time it has all taken and annoyed at the actions of some politicians." 

Deputy Ferbrache resigned from his role as ED President and at the time considered standing down from the States completely. In a letter released publicly in January he confirmed he would remain on the backbenches for the remainder of this term of office.