Rehabilitation of Alderney airfield in line with Option B could save millions of pounds

A NEW aspect of pushing the Alderney airfield rehabilitation has reared its head; the use of the children of Alderney as the focus of a ‘sympathy’ vote.

You don’t need to be a mastermind to realise that these ‘playground politics’, being generated for the most part, by friends and relatives of those whose egotistic and illusional dreams that big is beautiful, are determined to secure Option C+ at any cost.

Pointless, in as much that it is the quality, regularity, flexibility and the connectivity of a service that determines the success of any Alderney-based level three carrier, working with Aurigny as part of its operation. Feeding passengers into their Guernsey regional hub, while retaining the ability to serve Alderney in the way in which the people want and need, rather than what the ‘bean counters’ determine is best for the financial benefit of others.

The rehabilitation of the airfield in line with Option B, would ‘future proof’ any level three carrier to operate a service that would bring back that which has been lost over years, whilst at the same time saving millions of pounds.

A service that benefits and works for the elderly, the mid-lifers and the young, works for everyone. The young are an important part of our future, but there is no need to single out the children as a special case – they will benefit from the changes in the same way as everyone else.

But as a new twist, we now have the States exerting considerable pressure for Option C+ and giving the public the choice of just one option – do it our way, or we’ll throw our toys out of the pram and won’t let you play with our ball.

It doesn’t seem to matter that we are going to pay twice, once as a Bailiwick taxpayer, contributing as we do to the multi-million pound black hole, without which Aurigny would have failed years ago, and secondly as an Alderney citizen, with our States suggesting an input of £3.5m. that we haven’t got, to prop up a scheme that isn’t needed and in any event, probably won’t get past the voting stage.

A recent past, present and future review has been circulated, although due to circulation restrictions, hasn’t been seen by the majority of Alderney residents.

If you can find a copy, please take the time to read it.

Doing so may give you a better insight as to why the Alderney populace is so disgruntled with the way in which their links to the outside world have degraded over the past years and how, with what is planned, will never, ever be allowed to return.

RALPH BURRIDGE

Editor’s footnote:

The ‘past, present and future review’ referred to is available online at https://guernseypress.com/news/voices/2022/11/09/big-is-not-always-beautiful/