£24m. buys scrutiny for Alderney
ALDERNEY politicians have made much play this week that the decision for Guernsey to pay £20m.-plus to extend the island’s runway was a display of Bailiwick relations and would only bring the islands closer together.
They got the vote and result they desired late on Friday, but at a likely cost of increased scrutiny and pressure on that special relationship. Is Jonathan Le Tocq alone in regretting the ‘Guernsification’ – and associated extra expense – of Alderney?
There remains a lack of clarity about the rationale for Option C+. The most expensive option which, in the longer term, will run out cheaper, we’ve been told by Guernsey and Alderney politicians. Yet most of the reason for celebration in the northern isle appears to centre around the opportunity for economic enrichment, not saving money.
There is still major uncertainty on the cost of the project. Voting on the basis of a ‘rough order of magnitude’ is supposed to stop giving contractors the heads up on how much to charge – in this case the latitude is also leading to deep concern for some about what the eventual outturn might be, particularly at a time of rampant inflation.
And islanders continue to be confused over how the States can continue to talk the language of austerity, and then get the chequebook in this way, as they see the sceptre of GST looming.