Resignation after politician avoids suspension

The Commissioner for Standards for Guernsey has resigned after deputies voted against suspending a leading politician.

In a letter to the States Assembly and Constitution Committee, Melissa McCullough said her investigation had focused solely on the conduct of deputy Gavin St Pier and both her and the appeals commissioner had outlined their recommendations.

She said it was then for politicians to decide whether they accepted the recommended sanctions, which on this occasion "some were not prepared to do so".

Twenty-two politicians voted against the motion to suspend the Policy and Resources vice-president, while 11 supported the punishment and five abstained.

Ms McCullough said: "Where an assembly decides not to suspend despite two independent commissioners' recommendations, this can signal to the public that the assembly is unwilling to enforce consequences and ensure accountability."

The independent appeals commissioner previously recommended former chief minister St Pier should be suspended from the States of Guernsey with no pay for 25 days.

He was found to have broken the States' code of conduct by Ms McCullough for a conversation with a journalist from The Guardian newspaper.

A complaint was made after he discussed safeguarding concerns and Dr Sandie Bohin, a paediatrician at Guernsey's Medical Specialist Group.

Ms McCullough said a commissioner could not uphold standards in a system where standards were not seen to be upheld.

She said she could not "in good conscience continue to serve as commissioner for standards in Guernsey".

"I would like to thank those who have supported the work of the Office of the Commissioner for Standards and who recognise the importance of maintaining a credible, fair, and independent standards regime," she added.

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