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Jersey's Economic Development Minister came out swinging this morning as he was grilled over the process of choosing a new ferry provider at a farming conference – saying he has been forced into a position where he is being asked to sign off on an operator "I don't believe provides the resilience that we're asking for".
An under-pressure Deputy Kirsten Morel took to the stage for the Jersey Farming Conference at La Mare Wine Estate to speak about Government support for the agricultural sector – but he ended his time at the lectern by apologising to the room for the “meandering” tender process Ministers have been "pushed into".
The Q&A session at the end of his speech quickly turned to the issue of the increasingly chaotic process of choosing the Channel Islands ferry provider for the next 15 years – an issue which affects the island's growers.
This comes a week after Guernsey's government threw the months-long process into disarray by announcing their preferred bid was Brittany Ferries, the parent company of Condor Ferries.
Jersey's politicians have this week been considering "additional legal advice" and having "further positive discussions" on whether the Island would choose Danish shipping giant DFDS or remain with the incumbent.
Yesterday, after an exceptionally strongly worded letter was sent from the Jersey Hospitality Association to the Chief Minister blasting "incompetence" and "indecision" during the process, Deputy Morel released a brief statement which said the Government had invited Condor Ferries to extend their contract for seven months as work continues to find the "best solution" for long-term ferry services.
READ: Click to read the Jersey Hospitality Association's scathing letter in full.
Forced to elaborate on what is currently going on behind closed ministerial doors, Deputy Morel said that Guernsey's shock announcement meant Jersey had been put in a "very, very difficult position".
He added: "It's difficult for me to be open about what I say, and that's principally for the legal ramifications which I have a team of lawyers behind me telling me mostly what I cannot say."
With thinly-veiled barbs at Condor's apparently precarious financial position, he continued: "I will not sign Jersey up to anything except a financially resilient ferry service that can deliver 15 years of a contract and can deliver that without any risk of having to turn to the government of Jersey for help.
"I want a contract which clearly delivers new vessels over the course of that lifetime. In order to do that, there has to be that financial resilience. I've been put in the position where, effectively, I'm being asked to sign off on one which I don't believe provides the resilience that we're asking for. As a result, we've had to go through this rather meandering process, which has ended at the moment with having to end that joint process.
"I'm really, sorry about that. It genuinely was pulled out of my hands."
While this announcement was a surprise, Deputy Neil Inder, President of the Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development, revealed this week that their choice of Brittany Ferries as its preferred bidder had been communicated to Jersey on 17 October, almost two weeks before the decision was made public on the evening of 30 October.
Pictured: Deputy Morel pictured at another conference.
Deputy Morel added: "We're trying to get it back on track, and to do that, we have to work together with both companies. We will do that quickly."
He said this will take "a matter of weeks", but he was aware of the Jersey Hospitality Association's concern about bookings for next summer, which he said was "understandable".
He said the "compromise" had been to offer the contract extension to Condor and "get those tickets out on sale".
Condor Ferries has not responded to, or accepted, this invitation to extend their current operating agreement.
"In the meantime, we'll be working towards a decision on the actual successful bidder before the New Year," he said.
Pictured: There were many farmers at the conference this morning, which was held at La Mare Wine Estate (David Ferguson).
Presenter Hannah Shellswell continued to press him on whether this confusion could have been avoided, because of the nine-year lead-up to choosing a new ferry provider.
Deputy Morel responded: "Knowing about something for nine years doesn't help if you're suddenly pushed into a particular position where I'm being told I have to go down a road, and I'm saying that that is not a safe road. I will not do that to Jersey. I will not take us down an unsafe path.
"It's easier to give into pressure than it is to stand up and say no, and that I want what is right for Jersey. That's what I'm standing firm on. I know that there are others. The Council of Ministers have seen what I see. They understand why I am doing this. They know this is not some fun just to get me on the front page of the paper or ripped apart on Facebook.
"There are really good reasons for what I'm doing, and all I can say to you is that I'm doing this to protect us and our island. That's why I'm doing it. Please bear with me. Please, trust me."
Deputy Morel was also asked whether a particular bidder for the freight links would provide benefits for farmers.
He said that this had been part of the tender process and "at least one of the bidders" had delivered on this commitment to farmers by providing a flat rate for exportation which would bring competition to the freight logistics market.
He said: "That would have been a huge leap forward for infrastructure that underpins this island, and would mean that farmers would have always known what they are paying to export goods to the UK."
Elsewhere in this morning's session of the Jersey Farming Conference, the CEO of Albert Bartlett, Alex Bartlett, unveiled an ambitious £3 million campaign to boost the Jersey Royal brand in UK supermarkets next year, including TV adverts and front-page magazine features.
Mr Bartlett spoke about his vision for the future of the Jersey Royal Company which was acquired by Albert Bartlett in March.
The conference is expected to continue this afternoon. It is organised by Farm Jersey with funding from Jersey's government and sponsorship from Jersey Water, Evelyn Partners and Normans Agriculture.
Follow Express for updates...
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