ONE OF the things States members are acutely aware of is that they have an image problem in the eyes of islanders and that it is getting worse.

Anything that suggests ‘the States’ is not in control or that government is doing silly things – Environment’s £26 car tax proposal is a good example – simply adds to what might be called the Incredulity Index, those things that make ordinary people shake their head in disbelief and wonder, whatever next?

A sample of deputies canvassed by this newspaper at the States of Guernsey dinner for Lord Bach confirmed that the lamentable situation at the airport over fire cover was pushing the Incredulity Index over the edge and was deeply damaging to the reputation of government as a whole.

That, of course, was before our disclosures today that further cash sweeteners have been thrown at the firefighters to prevent them taking further unofficial industrial action, which their union representative would prefer to call legitimate and unavoidable bouts of sickness.

The situation, despite the announcement of an agreement on a framework to reach a settlement, has further deteriorated with Flybe saying it has no option other than to take legal steps to end the secrecy surrounding the deal.

The reason is that the island’s principle airline has no confidence that what’s being said in public will actually lead to a cessation of hostilities and that its commercial interests – as well as the attractiveness of the island as a destination – will be further blighted.

It is, and remains, a profoundly unsatisfactory state of affairs. Whatever the reality and however skillfully the various parties have performed, the public will regard the handling of this as at best amateur and at worst bungled.

The other aspect is that everything that has happened appears to be crisis management, from the two sweeteners, now thought to be in excess of £60,000, to a consultant’s report recommending commercialisation of the airport.

Trying to run a strategic facility on civil service lines was always questionable, as recent developments have confirmed, but reports hinting at a possible sale or other radical solutions should be part of a strategic review, not a desperate attempt to get squabbling parties off a hook.

Resolving the firefighters’ dispute is just the start of much-needed change at the airport.