‘Vile scum’ target DPA president

Victoria Oliver, president of the Development & Planning Authority, returned home with her children to find excrement on her doorstep, she believed undoubtedly following the department’s approval of 68 homes to be built at Pointues Rocques.

‘I, like every other human, do not like all the negative comments and people being rude, especially knowing my family are also potentially reading it, but understand that emotions run high and they are just words,’ she said.

‘But it is totally and utterly unacceptable to harass me and my family in our private home. I am thankful it was me and not my children that found it.

‘May I remind you that we live in a civilised democracy and despite what some of you may think, deputies are human beings and not public property or some faceless corporation.’

The committee has faced backlash following the approval of the Pointues Rocques development, but Deputy Oliver said that the opinions of all stakeholders were weighed up in their entirety and within the scope of the law. She said that while she is in public office, she would happily discuss her decisions through letter, email or over the phone.

Chief minister Deputy Peter Ferbrache said he regarded the action as unacceptable and described the culprit as ‘vile scum’. He called for them to come forward.

‘I ask them, but do not expect them to have the decency or courage so to do, to identify themselves to me. We can then meet and that person can then explain how they regard such behaviour as acceptable.’

As president of the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee, Carl Meerveld said that believed being a deputy did not carry the same respect as it once did.

‘Deputies are required to make decisions on behalf of the island, sometimes very difficult controversial decisions, and there will always be people who are unhappy, but acting in this way is an unacceptable reaction.’

Deputy Meerveld attended the planning meeting where the Pointues Rocques development was approved. He described Deputy Oliver as being in the ‘unenviable position’ to make the decision, but that the project was approved simply for meeting the criteria.

‘We need people to step up and represent the community, but I absolutely think that negative social media and antisocial acts will discourage people for standing for the role in future.’

Deputy Oliver is one of just eight female deputies representing the community in a disproportionately male environment. Women in Public Life, the group seeking to inspire women to stand for public office, posted on Twitter: ‘Shocking. So very sorry Victoria Oliver, no-one should have to experience this.’

St Peter Port constable Zoe Lihou said: ‘It is an appalling way to treat a man or a woman, but it could so easily give someone second thoughts about putting themselves forward for a public role.

‘It is understandable that someone feels strongly about it, but for that to happen in 2022 is just completely unacceptable.’

Mrs Lihou said that it was abhorrent that this could now be a concern for safety, and referenced other women who had received similar treatment as a result of their public profile.

‘You have the right to have a view, but you don’t get the right to behave like an animal,’ she said.