OUR disclosure on page 5 today that an attempt is to be made by a number of deputies to force some action on tackling the deficiencies revealed by the Wales Audit Office is a disappointing indictment of Guernsey’s ability to manage its affairs.

The requete, or petition, contemplated by Deputy Matt Fallaize and his supporters actually says two things. Firstly, government – however that might be defined – has lost control of something as fundamental as how, when and whether fundamental flaws in how it operates are tackled.

Secondly, that this absence of leadership enables a small group to try to hijack the process for its own narrow ends. The reason is that if the requete is lodged, it will direct the States to look at addressing the WAO criticisms within the current consensus model.

Yet many of the concerns highlighted by the Wales report stem directly from the current machinery of government, which itself is based on introducing a fudged version of the Harwood report.

Why – other than for reasons of self-interest – would deputies want to limit trying to improve matters by insisting that any reforms are confined to tinkering with an already demonstrably flawed system?

It may be, as the Wales auditor-general has acknowledged, that the necessary changes can be implemented within the existing system. But he also added that to do so would make the process of meaningful improvement considerably harder.

What is increasingly obvious to islanders – and, sadly, the outside world – is that the States of Deliberation does not lead. It is led. Led by individual departments, by requete, by expediency. But it never gives the impression that it is clearly and firmly in control and is heading in a certain direction.

This nonsense over what to do with the WAO report, the Policy Council trying to bury it and now Deputy Fallaize’s opportunistic attempt at hamstringing it are simply cases in point.

But with zero-10 dead, a budget deficit caused by rampant overspending and a refusal by government to take control of its own staff costs, there are other more pressing matters crying out for action.

Yet there is no sign of anyone at the helm, and that is damaging confidence.