I remain extremely concerned about the process being undertaken by the States of Alderney regarding data centres on Alderney.
I have requested, on a number of occasions, that a full public consultation be undertaken regarding hyperscale data centres on Alderney and that the current process being followed for data centres on Alderney be halted, although the developer has already submitted a proposal, signed an MOU and visited sites on Alderney for data centre with a concession for longer term data centres being pushed.
Clearly, the connection to the FAB Link project raises further concerns. In my humble opinion, I believe that the process being undertaken by the States of Alderney has become compromised and I believe now corrupted.
The Commissioner has been made aware of these concerns on a number of occasions but continues to take no action. Instead, it would appear that there has been a continued failure to address concerns, resulting in potential bias.
This is about whether a project of this scale is being properly scrutinised, whether the people of Alderney are being given a meaningful opportunity to have their say and told all the information held by the States of Alderney such as the feasibility study, and whether the necessary environmental, financial and feasibility have been addressed.
The Code of Conduct is politically motivated and weaponised trying to silence concerns and scrutiny.
I would apologise to Mr Clark only once a series of proper steps had been taken regarding the island’s proposed data centre project, including postponing the tender and carrying out appropriate risk, environmental and feasibility studies, but not before. Instead, the Commissioner removes me from office when the data centres expression of interests and tender process is just about to be submitted back to the States of Alderney.
The Alderney public deserves transparency, proper scrutiny and a genuine public consultation, rather than the behind closed doors process currently being undertaken by the States.
Alex Snowdon,
States of Alderney Member
Alderney Representative in the States of Deliberation, Guernsey
