P&R President laments lack of progress as development agency chair resigns

Guernsey's senior politician says there has been a frustrating lack of progress on the regeneration of the island's two ports.

It comes as the chair of the Guernsey Development Agency, Peter Watson, has resigned.

The GDA was set up four years ago to regenerate parts of the east coast, but mainly St Sampson's harbour and its surroundings

Development Agency To Be Approved

Mr Watson is understood to have resigned because no firm political decisions have been made about the future of the two main ports, meaning the Development Agency cannot implement its plans.

P&R head Lindsay de Sausmarez says she shares that frustration, and that all the committees involved are determined to prioritise the eastern seaboard.

"We understand and very much share the frustrations of the GDA.

"It is the job of the States Assembly to decide strategic direction and, once that's agreed, a development agency can deliver on it.

"The lack of a strategic decision over our future harbour requirements has really tied the GDA's hands behind its back: progress along the eastern seaboard depends to a considerable extent on how we intend to use St Peter Port and St Sampson's harbours over the coming years and decades.

"That is why we have made that strategic decision a super priority in the Government Work Plan.

"This P&R has been relentless in dragging this issue off the back burner, where it had sadly been languishing, and giving it the focus it deserves."

Deputy de Sausmarez  - who took office almost 12 months ago - says it is 'immensely frustrating' that there has not been more progress on the Future Harbours work in the past four years.

She says work by current committees to move things forward has included on flood defences, fuel storage and electricity innterconnection which she describes as 'all  factors affecting what can be developed where by the GDA'.

Deputy de Sausmarez's statement has not addressed plans for a replacement to head up the GDA, but says a meeting with the agency will take place.

"The political oversight group wrote to the GDA last week to update them and invite them for a discussion, recognising these constraints.

"That meeting has now been arranged.

"They have done a lot of valuable work, which has really underscored these interdependencies, and we are keen to find the most effective next steps."