They say that it was cheaper and potentially more productive to leave the Island than to hold the meeting locally.Board chairman Deputy Lyndon Farnham and other members of the board have angrily denied that they are on a ‘jolly’.’There is nobody more anti-junket than me,’ said Deputy Farnham.
‘The Board felt that it wanted to get away and go to neutral ground to discuss these very important issues.
There is a huge amount of business for the board and this will enable us to give it full attention.’Pressed to say how much the trip would cost the taxpayer, he agreed to publish the final costs when they were available.
The contingent are staying over-night but the travel is being sponsored by Condor Ferries.Deputy Farnham said that the board and department officials, including the top two – Elizabeth Jeffries and David de Carteret – would be discussing strategic issues and next year’s business plan.Board member and hotelier Robert Weston said that the cost to the taxpayer would be minimal.’It will cost us less than using the Pomme d’Or,’ he said.Both Deputy Farnham and Mr Weston rebutted suggestions that the sponsorship of the trip by Condor Ferries was inappropriate, particularly in view of rival Emeraude’s current fall-out and threat of litigation with the States over the licensing of Condor on the car ferry route to St Malo.
