DPA president accused of lying to oust vice-president

In January, Deputy Oliver narrowly won a vote of DPA members to throw out her number two, Deputy Andrew Taylor, and replace him with Deputy John Dyke.

But after weeks of dispute about whether the move was even allowed under States’ rules, it has now emerged that immediately before the vote was taken Deputy Oliver falsely told DPA members there was an alleged precedent for a committee removing its vice-president.

She assured them that former Home Affairs president Mary Lowe had engineered the removal of her then vice-president, Richard Graham, when Deputy Oliver was a member of that committee in the previous States term.

In fact, Mr Graham left his role voluntarily, after Mrs Lowe had tried to persuade him to stay.

Deputy Oliver admitted yesterday that she had ‘got the details wrong’ when telling her committee that ‘Mary didn’t want Richard anymore, so she just brought a thing exactly the same as here...we voted on it and then that was the decision made’.

Mrs Lowe said that Deputy Oliver had offered an implausible explanation.

‘Deputy Oliver lied to her members so she could manipulate the situation to remove Deputy Taylor as vice-president,’ said Mrs Lowe.

‘That is wicked and outrageous behaviour by any States member, but it is made even worse as Deputy Oliver was a member of Home Affairs at the time and was in the meeting when I tried to persuade Richard Graham not to resign as vice-president.’

Mr Graham said it was hard to understand how Deputy Oliver had recalled events so inaccurately: ‘I am disappointed to learn that the circumstances of my stepping down as Home Affairs’ vice-president have been so misrepresented,’ he said.

‘Deputy Oliver was a member of Home Affairs at the time. The circumstances were so clear and uncontroversial that it is difficult to believe that they could have been misremembered.’

Mrs Lowe called on Deputy Oliver to consider resigning as DPA president.

‘It will be up to DPA members if they can trust their president in future now they know the truth has not always been told. Personally, I believe Deputy Oliver should reflect on her position,’ said Mrs Lowe.

Deputy Oliver’s false assurances to her committee came to light only six weeks later, after Deputy Taylor contacted Mrs Lowe to check the facts about what happened at Home Affairs. Mrs Lowe then made a subject access request to obtain the relevant minute of the DPA meeting at which the committee was misled.

She thanked Deputy Taylor for bringing the matter to her attention. She said it was the only chance she had to defend herself and set the record straight.

Deputy Oliver said she had apologised to Mrs Lowe. ‘I’ve been honest with Mrs Lowe and extended my apologies to her a week ago, when my error was brought to my attention,’ said Deputy Oliver.

However, Deputy Lowe said that was incorrect. ‘It’s now 55 days since the DPA meeting and 15 days since my email to Deputy Oliver and members of the DPA seeking a subject access request, and not once has Deputy Oliver contacted me to apologise. All I received was an email from a staff member informing me that Deputy Oliver will apologise to her members,’ said Deputy Lowe.

Deputy Oliver appealed for support to allow her committee to focus on its work.

‘The DPA has done some good work in this term, improving the planning process, making it easier for islanders to navigate, and enabling development that benefits the island, but we have a lot still to do,’ she said.

‘We should put aside the internal politics and focus on our main aim, which is to balance development which enables the economy with preserving and enhancing what makes Guernsey a great place to live.’