WELL, it’s pretty much official. If the cosy ‘kiss and sell’ deal between Treasury and Resources and Blue Islands goes ahead, Aurigny will disappear. A respected brand of 40 years’ standing and a source of island pride will be replaced by an airline that started life in 1999 running groceries to Alderney.

At least the brokers of this agreement have had the decency to spare Joey, but it is small consolation.

Nostalgia apart, while the in-principle agreement to sell – which Aurigny bosses learned about only on Tuesday – might secure a longer future for Blue Islands and whatever remains of its yellow rival, it is not clear if this is in the interests of islanders or taxpayers.

T&R and the head of the Healthspan Group were unable to say anything at a media briefing yesterday to indicate how or why this is the best potential deal on the table.

The reason, of course, is that they cannot. Since no other airlines or interested parties have been approached, we have no idea what has been rejected that demonstrates the Blue Islands deal is the only practical option.

Indeed, Flybe, threatening legal action for having been excluded, says it would have been prepared to offer cash up front – a better prospect than Blue Islands’ ‘we’ll give you a secret sum some time in the future if we ever make a profit’.

Yes, this is a complex area and there is more involved than simply selling to the highest bidder. Preserving the lifeline Gatwick slots and ensuring competition (although that would go on inter-island flights) are priorities, but who’s to say the Blue Island package is the best?

Of course there is nervousness at the prospect of Flybe dominating Guernsey’s skies and air links. But if a ‘golden share’ safeguard could be built-in on the slots with Blue Islands, why not with a bigger operator?

The real issue, however, is this: At a time when Guernsey is supposed to be improving its governance, this proposal does not meet the criteria of informed, transparent decision-making, managing risk, engaging stakeholders or making accountability real.

That is just too many failures.