Milk debate should focus on future, not be a 'war of words'
MILK distributors' 'guns blazing' reaction to some of the recommendations in Commerce and Employment's dairy industry review is entirely understandable, one of the department's board members has said.
Laurie Queripel, who was on the team behind the review, also warned that the debate should not be a 'war of words' between distributors and department minister Kevin Stewart.
His concerns came after Deputy Stewart publicly attacked the milk retailers for failing to engage with the review, labelling the Guernsey Milk Retailers' Association the most opaque group he had ever known.
Deputy Queripel said that on the whole he believed his board had produced a good report, but he had some concerns over aspects of it and the way it might impact on distributors.
Former Environment minister Roger Domaille, pictured, who supported the original amendment that led to the full-scale dairy industry review, said he was keen to hear the views of the retailers.
Deputy Domaille said he would ask the association why they had not fully cooperated with the review, as had been claimed by Deputy Stewart.
