"Time is running against us"

Monday 19 June 2023

Guernsey's Chief Minister wants a meeting with Jersey as soon as practicable to discuss Condor and the islands' agreements with the ferry firm.

Jersey has a contract with Condor, but Guernsey doesn't - having signed a Memorandum of Understanding instead.

An undefined emergency led to a decision whereby Guernsey leant the firm tens of millions of pounds to buy its new ferry, the Condor Islander.

She is on her way to Britain having left New Zealand and sailed across the world, reaching Spain last week.

Following a period of maintenance in dry dock, she is due to enter service later this summer.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache said the islands ferry links with the UK and France remain an urgent area for discussion between the islands though.

Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache, President of the Policy and Resources Committee.

Speaking at the British Irish Council meeting, held in Jersey on Friday, he said those talks will happen within a few weeks.

"We (Jersey/Guernsey) are going to meet, diaries dependent, to have further discussions about Condor the week after next.

"We do appreciate it's urgent. The Jersey-Condor agreement runs out in less than two years, Condor want to know where they're going, Jersey and the people of Guernsey want to know where they are going.

"Guernsey has never had a written agreement with Condor, we've had a Memorandum of Understanding, but effectively we dovetailed into the Jersey arrangements without being legally bound by them because it makes sense.

"I would hope that we will end up, probably not the week after next, with an agreement. I think that would be too optimistic, but I think that [meeting] could lead us on to a series of detailed and time based and time conscious discussions, whereby we do come to an agreement, but we've got to be realistic.

"Time is running against Condor, time is running against Guernsey, time is running against Jersey and sea links are vital."

Pictured: Jersey's Chief Minister Kristina Moore at the British-Irish Council event on Friday, with UK MP Michael Gove.

Jersey hosted the 39th meeting of the British-Irish Council on Friday. It is made up of representatives from the UK and Irish governments, the devolved administrations of the Scottish and Welsh governments and Northern Ireland Executive, as well as the governments of Crown Dependencies.

It was the fifth time that the meeting has been held in Jersey. It has also previously been held in Guernsey. 

The theme for this year’s summit was 'Building for the Future: Green and Affordable', focusing on affordability of housing, energy efficiency in building, retrofitting, future skills, modern methods of construction and innovation.

The UK's Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was at the meeting on Friday and said he looks at some of Jersey's tax policies "with envy"...

Michael Gove was one of the delegates. He said: "I often look with envy at some of Jersey's tax policies and I suspect it is probably the case that we should learn more from Jersey than Jersey learning from us.

"But on the specific issue on how you deal with vacant properties and also second or holiday homes as well, there is always a balance to be struck. You need to have a variety of types of tenure and it will be the case that different types of properties will be vacant for natural market churn."

He continued: "Sometimes you do need to use tax or other measures to make sure you have the right mix to keep the community viable."