Shocked deputy responds to attack

Thursday 26th November 2009, 1:00PM GMT.

DEPUTY Gloria Dudley-Owen was shocked by the ‘highly unprofessional’ attack she received from GuernseyFinance.

Deputy Janine Le Sauvage also declared her outrage over the ‘scurrilous comments’ when she spoke in yesterday’s States meeting and called for a public apology.

Peter Niven, chief executive of the finance industry’s promotional body, had hit out at Deputy Dudley-Owen (pictured) for being ill-prepared for yesterday’s States debate by backing an amendment before seeking facts.

She seconded an amendment to Commerce and Employment’s proposal that all companies regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission should pay £75 per every full-time employee to help fund GuernseyFinance.

Mr Niven said she had requested last-minute information from GuernseyFinance just before the debate, and that she and the amendment’s proposer, Rhoderick Matthews, had not studied the issue before placing it.

Speaking during the lunch break in yesterday’s States meeting, Deputy Dudley-Owen was visibly shaken by the attack.

‘I am absolutely shocked. This is amazing,’ she said.

After considering her response during the two-hour break, she said she had only one thing to say: ‘His email to me was highly unprofessional.’

She said she would consider how to respond more fully in due course.

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1
Gary Blanchford

November 26, 2009 at 4:54 pm

So, a well deserved public apology to Deputy Dudley-Owen from Deputy Carla McNulty-Bauer on behalf of Guernsey Finance, who’s committee will look into the matter, but no sign of Peter Niven, who is apparently on holiday and noone can contact him. The way the vote went on Deputy Rhoderick Matthew’s amendment (21 – 26 lost)showed that his amendment had been well worth while and nearly half of Deputies are worried about the amount of money being used to subsidise Guernsey Finance and felt his amendment asking for the finance industry to up about half the costs is reasonable, instead of only about a third, while the taxpayer pays the balance. I don’t think there is any doubt what the answer would be if you asked the public. One begins to wonder whose interests are being best served by some of our Deputies.

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2
Arnald

November 26, 2009 at 6:45 pm

When you read the GF communiques about how wonderful the industry he is a mouthpiece for, it’s a wonder he is isn’t claiming that an end to world poverty is just around the corner. Net benefit my eye. Look at the state of the UK.

Arrogance, Mr Niven, is not a virtue.

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3
Peter Niven

November 26, 2009 at 11:10 pm

Sorry Gary Blatchford I am not on holiday I am in London on Guernsey Finance business having seen 6 journalists on behalf of the industry and the island today as well as a PR company I was asked to see by another company on the island. And now I am doing my e-mails as I usually have to at this time of the night (11pm). Tomorrow I have another 4 meetings with journalists before getting the afternoon flight back. All these meetings are designed to get key messages over to the media about what Guernsey is doing during these unprecedented economic times and at a time when we have a large number of major issues in the public domain which could adversely affect the island. As an aside if I were on holiday is there an issue with that? Holidays interestingly do form part of my contract like most people’s and there is no requirement to be contactable during my own time (although I am most of the time!) and have been today outside the meetings I have undertaken. Perhaps I should embrace twitter and let you know of my whereabouts every minute of the day?

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4
Phil

November 27, 2009 at 11:31 am

Peter Niven

Resorting to sarcasm and becoming very defensive do little for your argument I’m afraid.

As for being busy, what do you expect? I do not know what your salary is, however I suspect that it is well into six figures (not to mention a generous expense account I imagine) and therefore I would expect you to work hard for it.

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5
Arnald

November 27, 2009 at 11:35 am

Peter Niven
Lying to journalists isn’t a job.

How do you sleep at night knowing you promote tax evasion?

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6
Eric

November 27, 2009 at 6:50 pm

Arnald:
Sleep is for the godly. or put it another way.

To sleep; perchance to dream; ay there’s the rub-
when we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long a life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of Time.

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7
Gary Blanchford

November 28, 2009 at 10:27 am

Mr Niven, I hope you are more accurate in spelling peoples names when dealing with Guernsey Finance business, Blanchford, not Blatchford.
On a further point of accuracy, It was the Chairman of the Guernsey Finance Board that stated that,”we have been unable to contact Peter Niven as he in currently on leave, however the chairman has called for a board meeting to address these issues.” As a member of the public and as my money pays your wages at present, i require my Deputies to question everything that may save taxpayes money, that includes Guernsey Finance, even up to the last minute before a debate. One doesn’t need to attend all meetings to see an area that they are unhappy with and that has been proved by the vote on the amendment. Many States members are not entirely happy with the way Guernsey Finance is Funded and your attitude is certainly not helping the situation.

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