Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez also accused the outspoken critic of the tax proposals of fuelling speculation and rumour by not checking his facts before posting the claim online.
Deputy Curgenven’s allegation came in a Facebook post where he started off unequivocally: ‘I agree with the DB’s ruling. P&R, it seems, do not.
‘I understand the committee has written to the Bailiff – twice – seeking to have the DB’s ruling set aside. If that is correct, it is concerning. It rather looks like anything goes when it comes to getting GST through.’
Later, when someone else replied that if this was true it would be a big story, the deputy seemed to temper his claim.
‘I believe it is, but I wonder if it will be reported on,’ he said.
And when asked by the Guernsey Press whether the claims had any substance, Deputy de Sausmarez issued a robust reply.
‘At no point – not once, let alone twice – have I or the committee written to the presiding officer to ask her to reverse her ruling.
‘With 11 amendments still outstanding on the tax reform policy letter and a number of other items scheduled for July’s meeting that weren’t even started, my thoughts on making progress through the deferred business were invited by the presiding officer.
‘While that conversation – which also involved Deputy [Yvonne] Burford and the States Greffier – naturally included discussion of the rules, neither I nor any other member of the committee asked for a reversal.
‘Deputy Curgenven’s comment accepts that the claim may not be true – had he checked with me before posting it on a public forum I would have been happy to confirm that it was not, which would have avoided the unnecessary speculation and rumour it went on to generate.’
The adjourned tax debate is due to continue on 30 September, and it is understood that several fresh amendments are being worked on.