Assistant Minister suspended after calling for staff sacking

Friday 29 March 2019

Deputy Montfort Tadier has been suspended as an Assistant Minister after sending an email to other States Members calling for a government employee - believed to be the Hospital's leading pain specialist - to be sacked.

In a move deemed by the Chief Minister as “wholly inappropriate” and “clearly harmful” to the individual concerned, Deputy Tadier’s email lobbied a handful of politicians to remove the employee from the government, suggesting that they back a proposition to this effect.

The identity of the individual has not been officially confirmed, but news of this email comes after comments made by Deputy Tadier in the States Assembly "regarding the continued employment of a Pain Consultant" in connection with "comments made to the media regarding the use of medicinal cannabis." This referred to an article in Express about how the "watershed" move to allow Jersey doctors to prescribe the drug may contravene practitioners' guidelines.

Pictured: The individual is believed to be the pain specialist who expressed concerns about prescribing medicinal cannabis.

On 19th January, the Deputy asked Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf, "Further to comments made to the media by a leading pain consultant reported on 19th November 2018 regarding the use of medicinal cannabis, is it the Minister’s assessment that consultants who indicate they will not act in accordance with the decisions of the States Assembly should remain in the employment of the States of Jersey?"

As a result of sending the email to handful of other politicians and copying in the individual concerned, Deputy Tadier has this morning been ousted from his role as Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture.

In his statement, Chief Minister Senator John Le Fondré said that the email was sent yesterday evening to “a number of States Members”, which was deemed to be in breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Pictured: The Chief Minister has issued a statement announcing Deputy Tadier's suspension.

Senator Le Fondré cited in particular a paragraph of the Code which states that Ministers and Assistant Ministers “have a duty” to respect government officers, “uphold the political impartiality of officers and not ask them to act in a way which would conflict with their responsibilities and obligations and should act with courtesy and respect at all times towards officers.”

The Chief Minister continued: “This action is wholly inappropriate and is clearly harmful to the individual named. It is an action unworthy of a Minister, Assistant Minister or indeed any Member of the Assembly.”

Pictured: Deputy Tadier has now been suspended as an Assistant Minister.

The Minister for Economic Development and the Chief Minister met with Deputy Tadier this morning to inform him of his suspension “given the severity of the matter”. They have also asked him to “retract his comments and to apologise unreservedly”.

The Deputy’s suspension has taken effect immediately will remain in place until the end of the States’ sitting during the week beginning 20 May. 

The Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) Deputy Russell Labey, and Senator Sam Mézec as Chairman of Reform Jersey have both been informed.