Alex Snowdon has hit out after two separate rulings issued within days mean he will be suspended from all political duties in Alderney, without pay, for six weeks, although he will continue to be able to serve as one of the island’s representatives in the States of Guernsey.
He is claiming that the commissioner, Dr Melissa McCullough, is being used as a ‘cat’s paw’ by political opponents who want to prevent him from opposing the idea of the development of a significant data centre in Alderney.
That investigation was sparked by an approach to the States from a UK consultants, which Mr Snowdon is adamant constitutes a proposal, though his fellow States members have consistently denied this.
Most of them are in favour of at least considering the concept, but Mr Snowdon is strongly opposed. He has also accused Dr McCullough of taking sides and assisting those promoting the data centre concept.
‘With all your judgments so far you are enabling them to do this and are preventing me from opposing them in the public interest,’ he said in his response to the latest sanction imposed by Dr McCullough, which followed a complaint relating to the data centre investigation made by senior civil servant James Robinson, head of operations at the States of Alderney. It is expected that judgment will be formally released next week.
‘I put it to you that your ruling is a political one with very grave political implications. I say this because you could have ruled two ways, either accept that the “Stronghold” [the company who made the initial inquiry] proposal was a proposal, in which case the States would have been obliged to put it forward for public scrutiny and consultation or, as you have, declare it not to be a proposal at all, thus denying the public their right of disclosure, consultation and acceptance or otherwise.
‘l believe you are failing to uphold the very standards that you claim to support and that you are failing in your duty to support the interests and rights of the public against the elected officials whose conduct you oversee.’
Mr Snowdon said that being banned from States work was not a personal punishment because he regarded it as a duty rather than a pleasure, and he stressed that the ruling would not deter him in any way.
‘What it does do is prevent me debating and voting on behalf of those members of the public who voted for me to represent them. Effectively you are denying the public important representation during a major decision-making process.
‘In making your politically-motivated ruling and thereby influencing island politics I believe you are acting like some sort of unofficial dictator.’