During a packed and tense meeting covering everything from grazing cows to a reduction in States meetings, Lt Gen Cripwell sat beside the President of the States of Alderney, William Tate, to oversee debate.

Express caught up with the Lieutenant-Governor while in Alderney on 13 March to find out why his visits are so important. 

“I believe, since the moment I took over the job, that I am the Lieutenant Governor of all the islands of the Bailiwick. I may live in Guernsey, but Sark and Alderney are no less important to me than Guernsey 

“One of the ways that I can demonstrate that is to attend the States meeting here, or the Chief Pleas meeting in Sark – I try very hard to make sure that I’m in both of those islands every month.” 

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Pictured: Lt General Cripwell began his tenure as the Bailiwick’s Lieutenant Governor in 2022. 

Lt Gen Cripwell said Alderney was actually one of the first Channel Islands he ever visited. 

“I visited nearly 20 years ago when I was in the army and we were working down by the breakwater with the diving team.  

“So, I came over after a number of years to see the work that they were doing and subsequently came back with my son to visit because I was so taken by the island.  

“In part, Alderney was responsible for me applying for the post in the first case.” 

He said that the island has its own unique character, much like Sark and Guernsey. 

“The islands each have a different character, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that their meetings have a different character.  

“But all of them of course have public representatives who are trying to serve their communities as best as they possibly can. 

“It’s very important to me to see those meetings, it helps me to understand the islands better.”