Former Seneschal resigns from politics

A FORMER president of Sark’s Chief Pleas has resigned from government, reportedly after being told that he was to face a code of conduct panel.

Pic by Tom Tardif 06-08-15..Island of Sark..Island-wide celebrations and events to mark the 450th anniversary of the arrival from Jersey of the first Seigneur of Sark, Helier de Carteret. In attendance was the descendants of Helier de Carteret, the current Seigneur of Sark Michael Beaumont, Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Richard Collas and His Excellency the Lt Governor of Guernsey, Air Marshal Peter Walker as well as the Jersey Governor and Bailiff..Reg Guille thanks people for coming. (23662274)

Conseiller Reg Guille announced his intention to stand down at the recent meeting of Chief Pleas.

Mr Guille declined to comment on the reason for his resignation, and said he had no plans to play any further part in the governance of Sark. ‘At the moment I have retired from politics and I’m not planning to be involved in Sark politics other than as a resident of the island.’

He declined to make a copy of his resignation speech available, and said that it would appear in Hansard in a couple of weeks’ time.

However, a report in the Sark Newspaper published extracts it said were taken from Mr Guille’s speech, in which he said that he had received a letter telling him he was to be subject to a code of conduct hearing instigated by island resident Michael Doyle, an unsuccessful candidate at last December’s election.

The report went on to indicate that the reason for this action by Mr Doyle was Mr Guille’s alleged behaviour towards him in the run-up to the election.

Efforts to contact Mr Doyle have been unsuccessful.

Mr Guille was not the only Sark politician reported to have stepped down at the meeting, with former Finance and Resources Committee chairman Sebastien Moerman also said by the Sark Newspaper to have announced his resignation. His speech was apparently printed in full in the paper, and he was quoted as saying that he did not support the recently-created Policy and Finance Committee and so would not be seeking election to it.

He is reported to have said: ‘It is clear to me that the ideas and values such as good government, good governance, transparency, accountability and, of course, free market independent from government, that conseillers like myself are not required by this House any longer.’

Mr Moerman could not be contacted for comment.

n Mr Guille was appointed Seneschal in 2000 before the role was split in 2013 and he became President of Chief Pleas, a role which he held until stepping down in late 2016. He was made a conseiller at the start of 2017.

Mr Moerman was elected a conseiller in 2016.