CI governments urged to hurry up with ferry tender

The Condor Ferries User Group which Fran helps to run was host to the informal poll at the centre of the recent issues

The governments of Guernsey and Jersey have been told to "hurry up and make a decision" on the future of ferry services.

Organiser of the Condor Ferries User Group Fran Torode said staff at Condor will be "miserable" at the uncertainty for their jobs, caused by the delay.

Jersey's Sustainable Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel admitted the announcement may come in November following the withdrawal of a civil servant from the project.

Richard Corrigan stepped aside after voting in an informal online poll for one of the three firms bidding for the deal.

It's understood the three companies who have bid for the contract to run operations for the next 15 years are current operators Condor Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries.

The MV Arrow has been a regular visitor to Channel Island harbours and has been used by Condor Ferries in the past

Ms Torode said the delay to the decision was damaging the island's tourism industry, as the schedules for next year haven't been released.

"This is doing untold damage to both Bailiwicks", she said.

In the last year, both island's governments have paid for berthing trials by Danish firm DFDS, which have seen the Seven Sisters and MV Mistral dock in St Peter Port and St Helier.

Both governments have refused to say how much these trials have cost.

In a response to a BBC freedom of information request, the Government of Jersey also refused to say how much it had paid to keep the MV Arrow on standby.

The ship is currently docked in Larne and is owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet.

Jersey's Economic Development Minister has admitted the process may now run into November

'Reassured process not contaminated'

Politicians in both islands have speculated the delay may not just be down to an official standing aside, but because the islands have differing views on the way forward.

The officials and deputies in charge of the process have not commented on whether this is the case.

Deputy Jonathan Renouf asked questions about the process in Jersey's States, and said he was concerned it may have been "contaminated" by the recent issues.

But he said the answers he got from Morel have "reassured him".

"I was trying to seek confidence the department, the government wouldn’t be vulnerable to accusations of pre-determination because that might lead to legal action and that would be very bad for the island.

"The question of contamination rose because of the actions taken by the chief officer. The explanation has reassured me."

In the States Morel said: "This was a blunder. It was not bias, and I am absolutely convinced by that."