‘Is ex-head of law enforcement best person for property role?’
QUESTIONS have been raised about the appointment of former head of law enforcement Patrick Rice to a senior public sector property role.
Deputy Victoria Oliver, a chartered surveyor, asked whether an individual with experience in property would be better suited to the role through a set of questions submitted under States Assembly rules.
She is also a member of the Home Affairs committee, a board he accused of interfering in his job when at Law Enforcement.
‘Are there any strategic reasons why an unqualified surveyor or an individual without relevant property management related experience or qualifications could take the role of head of States Guernsey real estate?
‘If so can you please detail these,’ said Deputy Oliver who received a response from the States’ Trading Supervisory Board.
She also sought details about the role and the appointment process around it.
It was announced in November that Mr Rice would be stepping down and taking on the new position.
Answering the questions, STSB president Deputy Peter Ferbrache said leadership and change management skills were the core requirements for the job as there was ‘considerable’ property related technical knowledge and experience already within property services.
‘This position is not a lone, inward-looking, technical role,’ said Deputy Ferbrache.
‘Qualified surveyors were not precluded from applying but having a surveying qualification or similar is not a key requirement or a prerequisite for the skills and competencies for the role.’
Deputy Ferbrache also responded to questions about how many applications were received from local surveying professionals or civil servants with relevant qualifications – and whether the job was advertised externally.
‘There were no applicants to the first advert which closed on 6th July 2018 so the position was re-advertised from 10th July to 23rd July 2018, both internally and externally,’ said Deputy Ferbrache.
‘Two applications were submitted in response to the second round of advertising, one was a locally-based employee of the States. Neither applicant had relevant surveying qualifications, which is not a key requirement of the position.’
He also confirmed that it was a new three-year fixed term contract job.
