Tadier faces investigation over e-mail sacking row

Monday 01 April 2019

A Jersey politician is to refer himself to the standards watchdog after calling for a government employee to be sacked in an e-mail to his political colleagues, and copying the employee into the note.

Deputy Montfort Tadier has already been suspended as an Assistant Minister for his comments, which it's believed refer to the Hospital's leading pain specialist, as part of an ongoing dispute over the prescription of medicinal cannabis.

In a move deemed by the Chief Minister as “wholly inappropriate” and “clearly harmful” to the individual concerned, Deputy Tadier’s email lobbied a handful of politicians to remove the employee from the government, suggesting that they back a proposition to this effect.

The identity of the individual has not been officially confirmed, but news of this email comes after comments made by Deputy Tadier in the States Assembly "regarding the continued employment of a Pain Consultant" in connection with "comments made to the media regarding the use of medicinal cannabis." This referred to an article in Express about how the "watershed" move to allow Jersey doctors to prescribe the drug may contravene practitioners' guidelines.

Pictured: The employee referred to by Deputy Tadier is believed to be the pain specialist who expressed concerns about prescribing medicinal cannabis.

On 19th January, the Deputy asked Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf, "Further to comments made to the media by a leading pain consultant reported on 19th November 2018 regarding the use of medicinal cannabis, is it the Minister’s assessment that consultants who indicate they will not act in accordance with the decisions of the States Assembly should remain in the employment of the States of Jersey?"

As a result of sending the email to handful of other politicians and copying in the individual concerned, Deputy Tadier has been ousted from his role as Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture.

A statement issued this morning by Deputy Tadier's party Reform Jersey says that he has acknowledged it was inappropriate for him to suggest a civil servant to be removed from office in an email he was copied in to, and that he has "apologised unreservedly" to the employee in question.

Reform Jersey has also confirmed that Deputy Tadier has referred himself to the Commissioner for Standards to establish whether any breach of the States Members code of conduct has occurred.

Pictured: Deputy Tadier has been suspended as an Assistant Minister until late May.

Announcing Deputy Tadier's suspension as an Assistant Minister, the Chief Minister John Le Fondré cited in particular a paragraph of the Code which states that Ministers and Assistant Ministers “have a duty” to respect government officers, “uphold the political impartiality of officers and not ask them to act in a way which would conflict with their responsibilities and obligations and should act with courtesy and respect at all times towards officers.”

The Chief Minister continued: “This action is wholly inappropriate and is clearly harmful to the individual named. It is an action unworthy of a Minister, Assistant Minister or indeed any Member of the Assembly.”