No Jersey ferry operator choice 'embarrassing'

John Henwood said the time frame showed "a lack of ability in Jersey to make a decision"

Jersey government's failure to pick a ferry operator in ten months is "deeply embarrassing", a political commentator has said.

The Channel Islands were expected to announce their preferred bidders for ferry services together, but Guernsey announced it had chosen Brittany Ferries on Wednesday.

Political commentator John Henwood said: "I think Guernsey have done this really to make Jersey look silly and they've succeeded."

Deputy Kirsten Morel, Jersey’s Economic Development minister said he still had questions for two of the bidders but the decision would come in "a matter of days".

Jersey and Guernsey had run a tender process together to decide whether current ferry operator Condor would keep its contract for another 15 years, or if another company would take over from next March.

Mr Henwood criticised the Jersey government's handling of the process.

"For the minister to say 'we're taking a bit longer to make sure we get it right' after ten months and overrunning the process [by] two months just shows a lack of ability in Jersey to make a decision," he said.

Deputy Kirsten Morel said the government needed to ask more questions before it made a decision

Mr Morel said he was "surprised" by Guernsey's announcement and that he found out at the same time as the media - which was "not a good look".

He said: "It is the way it is, we are two separate jurisdictions, we have two different ways of looking at things and so this has been a good process in terms of working together, but when you analyse the information Jersey felt it wasn't in a position to award right now."

'Get this right'

Mr Morel also acknowledged that there could be a situation where the islands had different ferry operators.

"It’s not an easy position, it’s an interesting scenario where you can potentially have two different ferry companies plying these routes," he said.

"I look at the full 15-year period and the risks involved, and speaking to colleagues we all agree we don’t have all the information we need and I want to get this right."

'Changes the odds'

Deputy Kristina Moore, deputy of the public accounts committee, said she hoped Guernsey would "reconsider" its choice.

She said: "The tender of course asks for tenders for both islands to be served by one operator and therefore splitting that makes it a different proposition.

"It not only puts Jersey in a difficult position but puts any company going for that tender in a difficult position as it changes the odds.

"We feel that a decision cannot be made under duress, one hand is forcing the other, it should be made with full evidence in front of it."

Former Condor manager Steve Bailey applauded Guernsey for making a decision

Former Condor manager Steve Bailey said Jersey's government had already been given enough time to make a decision.

He said: "Jersey is prevaricating - they've had ten months, they've been working in tandem with the Guernsey authorities and at this late moment to come in and say they have more questions and I believe it's on a financial basis seems to me a bit late in the day.

"I am very concerned - I actually applaud Guernsey, I think they've made the right decision for their island."

'Food costs will increase'

Channel Islands Co-operative Society CEO Mark Cox said if the islands chose different companies it would add further costs to islanders' food shop.

He said: "The complexities of the two islands doing something different would appear to us to add cost - we are well served at the moment by two freight vessels coming into the islands every day, Guernsey has about 35% of the Channel Island freight volume that cannot sustain two freight vessels a day.

"The service will absolutely dip if that was to happen and costs will increase so we are really concerned and we're urging both governments for some sort of certainty as quickly as possible."

On Thursday a tourism group described the prospect of two separate ferry companies serving the Channel Islands as "unworkable", and businesses also called for the next ferry provider to give them more certainty in both freight and passenger services.

Condor Ferries had provided ferry services for the Channel Islands for 60 years.