Deputy rejects claim Alderney breakwater in danger of failure
ALDERNEY breakwater is 'in imminent danger of a major structural failure', according to an island resident who has written a letter to all deputies urging them to take action.
Michael Maunder said that decisions on the breakwater 'cannot be put off any longer' and alleges that all the work that has been done on it since it came under States of Guernsey management has been 'quick-fix' maintenance.
But his claim has been denied by Environment & Infrastructure, under whose mandate it falls.
Mr Maunder said the breakwater is not Alderney's, but belongs to the UK Admiralty.
The States took over maintenance of the breakwater from the UK in 1987 after the Bailiwick was asked to make a contribution to the UK's defence budget.
Mr Maunder alleges that attribution to Alderney's account could be described as 'creative accounting', but could almost be described as 'fraudulent'. Either way, it was incorrect, he wrote.
It would cost about the same as the 'missing sums' of money to bring the breakwater back to a stable condition.
He provided evidence to back his claims, although previously he said when the question had been raised 'the response is to ignore, belittle or present bogus science'.
Environment & Infrastructure has the obligation to maintain the breakwater, and its president, Barry Brehaut, said: 'The breakwater is not in imminent risk of collapse.
'E&I carry out extensive surveys, repairs and assessments on an ongoing basis and we are committed to doing so.'
