Ferbrache is Guernsey's new Chief Minister

Friday 16 October 2020

Deputy Peter Ferbrache has come out victorious in a presidential showdown with Deputy Gavin St Pier and will replace him as Guernsey's Chief Minister.

In a re-run of the 2016 election for the same role, which was narrowly won by Deputy St Pier following two tied votes, Deputy Ferbrache succeeded this time round by 23 votes to 17.

Deputy Ferbrache said he would "welcome working with" his predecessor and thanked him for what he has given to the role in the last four-and-a-half years. 

Earlier in the Covid pandemic, Deputy Ferbrache was deeply critical of Jersey's political leaders. He said his island was “in the World Cup" for how it had dealt with the virus, before going on to remark: “Compare it with our neighbours 20 miles away, where people In have been speaking to on legal matters and other matters that I’m involved in call them a bunch of bumbling idiots compared with us.

“They compare our Chief Minister with theirs, and ours wins quite favourably. They compare our Health President with theirs, and she compares admirably.” 

Jersey's Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, described the comments as "emotional and ill-informed."

The newly-appointed P&R President said that what the people need, most of all, is action. "I have made thousands of decisions in my life but I have never been afraid to make decisions."

He said the island is "saddled and burdened with" too much regulation and everything starts with a strong economy. Anyone who thinks that 97% of the economy is working effectively "is not living in the real world."

He said he is focussed on the future, improving lives for his children and grandchildren, and for others in the community.

"We want our young to have aspirations and hope," he said.

"I want my children and grandchildren to have a better life than I have, and I have had a good life."

His proposer, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, said that during her time working under Deputy Ferbrache's leadership on Economic Development, he had always invited committee members to challenge and debate.

He delegated responsibility for different policy areas, allowing each member to take ownership and grow in confidence, while never abdicating his own responsibility as the head of the committee. 

"He enabled me to find my niche, to carve out specialisms and find my confidence," she said. 

"He was then and is now a facilitator. He will be the island's servant leader."

Deputy St Pier was praised by his proposer, Deputy Peter Roffey, as being a "genuine tour de force" for his work representing the island, especially externally, where he has performed "better than anyone I have seen in the last 40 years."

Deputy St Pier set out a own plan of action to enable the economy 'to revive and thrive', which would have included working with Economic Development, in the first 100 days, on the "rapid" roll-out of super fast fibre broadband, while there would be a "sustainable tax system" before the States within a year. 

Deputy Ferbrache's first act will be to propose a Policy & Resources Committee, which will be appointed in the States tomorrow morning.