Alderney politician quits
ALDERNEY’S Policy & Finance Committee chairman Nigel Vooght has resigned, citing a recent breakdown in his relationship with States of Alderney president William Tate as a key reason for his decision.
Mr Vooght has also stepped down as a States member.
In a statement, Mr Vooght said he was quitting ‘with sadness and regret’.
He said that, as well as his strained relationship with Mr Tate, his attempts to implement change were being hindered by ‘political infighting’ among States of Alderney members.
‘I entered the States two years ago in full awareness that there were tough decisions to be made, and at no stage have I ever expected to win a personality contest in helping to reach those decisions,’ he said. ‘My intention and motive were simply to get things done.’
In his two years in the States, Mr Vooght has played a key role in working with the Alderney Treasury and the Guernsey civil service to balance the northern isle’s books, stemming from his experience in the financial business world as a global leader in financial services with PwC.
But he said that it had become clear to him that his ability to implement change was being blocked ‘at every turn’, adding that he was ‘immensely disappointed’ at a perceived lack of support for his efforts in tandem with the civil service.
‘Alderney has so much potential but will never achieve what the island deserves while a few of its members are so divided and consistently attempt to belittle others who are trying their hardest,’ he said.
‘The island is facing great difficulties going forward which needs the States to focus on external issues and not on political infighting.’
Addressing his relationship with Mr Tate, Mr Vooght said that there had been little evidence of support from the president for either him or States of Alderney chief executive Theo Leijser.
‘When P&F makes a unanimous decision, the president’s role is to facilitate putting that item on the billet where applicable, not to oppose it or gerrymander a situation more to his liking.
‘The chief executive is devoted to bringing much-needed reform to our system of government, as was evidenced in the running of a successful campaign to promote our recent democratic elections, but his attempts to bring forward reforms that have been on the cards for years have been systematically ignored.’
Mr Tate declined to comment on Mr Vooght’s allegations when contacted by the Guernsey Press yesterday.
A by-election to replace Mr Vooght as a States member will take place in the new year.
Mr Leijser paid tribute to his political boss in a statement, saying his ‘clarity of thought and tenacity will be greatly missed’.
‘Real progress has been made over the past year in reaching important decisions and taking steps to repair the political relationship with Guernsey,’ he said.
‘Mr Vooght has worked tirelessly to seek solutions to our Airport runway crisis and has proudly represented the island in top-flight delegations in Guernsey, the Bailiwick and further afield.’
