Where are the reports?

Tuesday 05 March 2019

One of Guernsey's political parties is challenging the States to publicly release two reports that were commissioned into the island's air and sea links.

The 2020 Association says it has made its request under the States of Guernsey Code of Practice for Access to Public Information (2014) which is the closest thing the island has to a 'freedom of information act'.

It was nearly a year ago that PwC was commissioned to produce the reports, amid growing concerns over connectivity affecting residents, visitors and the wider economy. While P&R has had the reports since last autumn, they've not yet been released publicly.

The 2020 Association says that is wrong, and as it's said the 'improvement of transport connectivity, and the implementation of a full Freedom of Information Law' are among its 'foremost stated objectives', it has written to the States asking for them to be released.

Pictured: The letter sent by the 2020 Association asking for the PwC reports to be released. 

James Collings, the Chief Executive of the Association, said; "In spring 2018, PwC was commissioned by the Policy and Resources Committee to produce two Reports: one into Air Links Infrastructure and the second into a Contingency Plan relating to the sale of Condor Ferries by its owner. 

"These Reports were received back by P&R in autumn 2018. 

"They have been shared with the Committee for Economic Development, the States Trading Supervisory Board and the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure. However, they have been withheld from the public. These are public documents. They have been paid for from the public purse. The taxpayer has a right to see them, and P&R have an obvious obligation to produce them. The 2020 Association has therefore made a request for production under the States of Guernsey Code of Practice." 

Pictured: Deputy Lyndon Trott. 

The reports have been discussed publicly since they were commissioned and delivered to the States. In December, Deputy Lyndon Trott outlined what the situation was and why they hadn't yet been released. 

He said then that the reports would be released in the first quarter of 2019. The report on air links is now expected to be released tomorrow, while a spokesperson for the States says the report on sea links remains commercially sensitive.