Last week it was announced that Captain Chad Murray had been formally appointed to report to the States on the rift between the UK-based charity and Jersey volunteers, which developed last April following the sacking of coxswain Andy Hibbs.
Tensions came to a head in November when the RNLI closed the St Helier station, relocating the George Sullivan all-weather lifeboat to Poole. The charity is now training a new crew for the vessel, which has since returned to the Island and it is hoped will be back in full service next month.
A campaign for Jersey to set up its own independent service, spearheaded by the Jersey Lifeboat Association, has gathered momentum and next month a 7,000-signature petition calling for the project to be formally backed by the government is due to be debated in the States.
In a statement the JLA has claimed that the appointment of Captain Murray, who they view as biased towards the RNLI, to investigate the events of last year is part of a ‘political agenda’ and have called for an independent committee of inquiry to be set up instead.
The group claims that:
*Captain Murray is not an independent investigator because he needs to maintain good relations with the RNLI, States of Jersey and Ports of Jersey in his role as Guernsey’s harbourmaster
*It was excluded from the investigation and was told that this was because it relates to matters ‘pre-dating their existence’.
*Environment Minister Steve Luce, the politician behind the review, does not have ministerial authority in this area and is more conflicted than any other politician in the matter as a former member of the RNLI crew at the St Catherine’s lifeboat station.
The association has also questioned whether a Guernsey official should be interfering in Jersey matters and whether Guernsey taxpayers would be happy with effectively funding the review.
JLA chairman Ben Shenton said that an independent review, as promised by Assistant Chief Minister Paul Routier last year, had not been delivered.
‘Instead, we get a review which has been designed around a political agenda, one which is more likely to inflame matters than find a solution,’ he said.
‘The perpetrators of this report do not want a fully independent report, as they know that once the public know the truth the support for the JLA will escalate.’
He added: ‘The JLA has substantial backing and has an army of volunteers. Our exciting plans will be revealed over coming weeks. The future is very positive for the JLA, and therefore for all Islanders.
‘It is a pity that the government’s political games continue to provide an unnecessary distraction.’
