WHEN the director general of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission was last week declining to comment on the blistering letter of resignation sent to him and others by the chairman of the GTA University Centre, he made two revealing observations.

Firstly, this was not something to be discussed with the media because to do so would be to fuel what the DG regards as ‘agitprop’, or political propaganda, surrounding the issue and, secondly, because it should properly be considered by the GTA’s board and trustees.

What that ignores is the fundamental issue that caused the resignation in the first place: the alleged roughing up of the chairman and chief executive of the GTA University Centre by the trustees, who included the head of the GFSC and the Commerce and Employment minister.

The resignation was triggered because the chairman and some of his other fellow directors believe that the direction of the GTA is a matter for them and not the trustees, who, in any event, are arguably conflicted because of their other interests.

According to the letter of resignation, attempts to raise this question of governance were dismissed by the trustees as pettifoggery, or legal deception or trickery, so there is little meeting of minds or much hope of progress when the board meets today to deal with something that is crucial to the future of the island’s university centre.

What will be clear to islanders is that for many years, the GTA has been run by a board, including Dame Mary Perkins, Dudley Jehan, of Norman Piette, Advocate Chris Bound, of Collas Day, and Deputy Mike Collins, to their apparent satisfaction and those of Bournemouth University, which accredits the GTA.

But now, the trustees – whose overriding motives might not be what’s best for the GTA but prompted by the demands of their own organisations – are now looking to call the shots.

This looks like a naked power struggle with, on the evidence of the letter of resignation, some surprising behaviours if they came from public officials.

Whatever the outcome of today’s crisis meeting, the stakes are very high.