"Time is running against us"

Monday 19 June 2023

Guernsey's Chief Minister wants a meeting with Jersey as soon as possible to discuss Condor and the islands' agreements with the ferry firm.

Jersey has a contract with Condor, but Guernsey doesn't – having signed a Memorandum of Understanding instead.

An undefined emergency led to a decision whereby Guernsey leant the firm millions of pounds to buy its new ferry, the Condor Islander.

The Islander is now on her way to Britain, having left New Zealand and sailed across the world, reaching Spain last week.

Following a period of maintenance in dry dock, she is due to enter service later this summer.

Guernsey's political leader, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, said the islands' ferry links with the UK and France remain an urgent area for discussion between the islands.

Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache, President of the Policy and Resources Committee.

Interviewed by Express at the British-Irish Council summit, held in Jersey on Friday, he said those talks will happen within a few weeks.

"We are going to meet, diaries dependent, to have further discussions about Condor the week after next.

"We do appreciate it's urgent. The Jersey-Condor agreement runs out in less than two years, Condor want to know where they're going, Jersey and the people of Guernsey want to know where they are going.

"Guernsey has never had a written agreement with Condor, we've had a Memorandum of Understanding, but effectively we dovetailed into the Jersey arrangements without being legally bound by them because it makes sense.

"I would hope that we will end up, probably not the week after next, with an agreement. I think that would be too optimistic, but I think that [meeting] could lead us on to a series of detailed and time based and time conscious discussions, whereby we do come to an agreement, but we've got to be realistic.

"Time is running against Condor, time is running against Guernsey, time is running against Jersey and sea links are vital."

Pictured: Jersey's Chief Minister Kristina Moore at the British-Irish Council event on Friday, with UK MP Michael Gove.

Jersey's Economic Development Minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, reiterated in the States Assembly last week that he was committed to talking to Condor Ferries about increasing the number of options for islanders wanting to make day-trips to Saint Malo, although he appreciated that this was difficult as Condor had one fewer boat than prior to the pandemic.

Jersey hosted the 39th meeting of the British-Irish Council on Friday. It is made up of representatives from the UK and Irish governments, the devolved administrations of the Scottish and Welsh governments and Northern Ireland Executive, as well as the governments of Crown Dependencies.