Brittany still has some way to go
INITIAL public reaction to Guernsey’s announcement last night backing Brittany Ferries was dominated by a suitably Gallic shrug of the shoulders and a feeling of ‘quelle surprise’.
In truth, Economic Development’s go-it-alone approach is actually quite audacious, but the decision itself, to back the incumbent operator, also feels predictable.
Condor has not only decades of experience serving the islands and proof of an existing fleet but also a vessel recently purchased with massive financial help from our States.
A cynic might say that the only way Guernsey was ever going to select a different operator was if Jersey did and its smaller cousin felt intimidated to follow, which clearly it didn’t.
It would be unreasonable to say the tender process was a waste of time.
But if Guernsey’s negotiators were at their best, they will have used it, and may still be using it, to extract maximum commitments from Brittany Ferries at the lowest cost possible to islanders, as much as to assess the other bidders.
The details of the deal, still being hammered out of course, are ultimately more important than the name or livery on the side of the vessels.
Only once we know more about the agreed levels of service, commitments to future fleet investment and financial risk to the taxpayer will we be able to judge whether this really is a good deal for the island.