POTENTIAL private investment in the airport has come under fire. Public Services will hold talks in September about a possible lease arrangement.

After minister Bill Bell said yesterday he had ‘a number of reservations’ about such a deal, board member Deputy Al Brouard today expressed further concerns.

‘I would be extremely nervous and very cautious about letting anyone other than the States of Guernsey have control of one of our key gateways and lifelines – and for what benefit?’ said Deputy Brouard.

‘We’re not the same as the UK regional airports, where there’s competition and you can drive to the next county and another airport – we have no choice.’

Public Services currently ploughs surplus income back into the airport.

‘As an island we have invested many millions already in the airport and its infrastructure,’ said Deputy Brouard.

‘I don’t believe the passenger movements will radically increase if another operator is running the airport and if any capital is introduced, that will still have to be paid for by someone.

‘I’m happy to listen to new ideas, but it will take a lot of convincing that a third party operator is right for our airport – once we lose control, it could be very expensive to get it back.’

Deputy Dave Jones, a well known critic of privatisation, also lambasted the possible deal.

‘While I understand that the Public Services Department has a right to engage in talks with anybody that approaches it, I don’t believe we should go down the route of privatising the airport,’ he said.

He could not see anything in the deal for the public.

‘While the business community wants to privatise almost everything in sight, history has shown us that’s not necessarily for the best. The obvious ones are the sale of Guernsey Telecoms and the commercialisation of our other utilities that only led, since day one, to reduced services and higher prices. It will not get my vote.’

The party interested in a deal is believed to be London-based investor and company director Sedef Ashman.

Flybe declined to comment on the issue.