“I have done nothing wrong”

Wednesday 22 September 2021

Guernsey’s Chief Minister and Head of the Civil Contingencies Authority has refuted numerous accusations during an extended and impassioned speech during the latest media briefing.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache let loose on a number of allegations levied at him by politicians and others during his eleven months in the role of Head of the CCA.

His heated response followed a question from the media about whether the CCA has any leaks. It was a direct response to the sentencing of two people on Monday for breaking self-isolation and their link to ‘Farmhousegate’.

Deputy Ferbrache took the opportunity to dismiss any possibility of leaks from within the CCA and then went on to refute any wrongdoing.

Pictured: The rebuttal came at the end of the latest media briefing, where a raft of new border relaxations were announced.

“I’ve held this position for about eleven months, in that time I’ve been accused of bullying Dr [Nicola] Brink so she would resign and go off to live in south Africa,” said Deputy Ferbrache, referring to a past media briefing where he contested “scurrilous” accusations that he was intimidating the Director of Public Health.

He continued by refuting accusations that he’d intimidated other members of the CCA, with the aim of getting the borders opened quicker for the sake of his hospitality interests.

“I’ve been accused of lying on a broadcast in relation to Warren Gatland,” he said, citing the now infamous decision to allow the British & Irish Lions coach a special exemption to come to the island without having to isolate.

“I’ve been accused of being corrupt, I’ve been accused of fancifying the fact that I had to isolate a week or so previously – it was said that it was matter of convenience.”

Pictured: “There’s been a lot of criticism in relation to me over a period of time,” said Deputy Ferbrache.

Furthermore, in a surprise and unprovoked statement, Deputy Ferbrache discussed his sexuality.

“A person’s sexuality is a matter for themselves but it’s fact that I’m not gay – I’ve got children and I’ve got grandchildren - and yet  there have been photofits made of me having sexual act – all of that is completely despicable,” he said.

He concluded by quashing his involvement with the investigation that saw two people sentenced for breaching self-isolation, but alluded to an ongoing investigation that he is currently unable to comment on.

“There may be another investigation going on in regards to something else, but I cannot comment further until the Border Agency and Police say their investigations are at an end – I’ve been a lawyer a long time and its improper.

“I would say in relation to all of this, I would hope that there is some common decency out there and I would hope that some people who’ve been making comments would crawl back under their stones.”