New ferry service might have bumpy start
Deputy Lyndon Farnham said it would take DFDS "time to settle the timetables" and "learn how we like to operate".
In an interview with the BBC to mark his first anniversary in the job, Farnham also said details of plans to fund projects such as the new hospital and the refurbishment of Fort Regent would be made public next month.
He said the plans aimed to address a "dereliction of investment" over decades.
The joint ferry tender process with Guernsey ended with the islands going their separate ways, as Jersey opted for Danish firm DFDS and Guernsey chose Brittany Ferries.
Farnham said Condor had served the island for decades but it was time for a new start.
"I think that short-term inconvenience will benefit us in the medium- to long-term," he said.
"It is time for a change and it will be a little bumpy they always are when new ferry services come into play and it's going to take them time to settle the timetables down the fleet learn how we like to operate.
"We have the lifeline freight services, that's not going to be done in five minutes... it will be a bit of a bumpy ride for a few months."
When asked if the uncertainty caused by the ferry tender process had affected the optimism some people had for his government, Farnham said: "No, I don't think that at all.
"I think some islanders might have been frustrated at the process but many, many islanders will understand that it's an important process."
The chief minister defended his role in the process and disagreed he could have shown more leadership.
Economic Development Minister Deputy Kirsten Morel also faced intense scrutiny.
Farnham said: "I provided support as I do for all ministers and came forward and led with Deputy Morel as we got to the end of the process.
"I might take more of a back seat in in in relation to putting myself in front of the camera because I'm too busy for that.
"I would rather focus on getting things done than make videos of myself every five minutes."
Speaking about the infrastructure plans, the chief minister said Project Breakwater would be led by Health Minister Tom Binet.
He said the project included plans for a new hospital and the refurbishment of Fort Regent.
However, there are no details on how the project will be funded.
Farnham said costed plans would be revealed to the public in March and ministers including the treasury minister would be briefed shortly.
"That's one of the mistakes we've made in the past, we've announced projects without having a way to pay for it and then they've tended to flounder," he said.
"So when we do deliver it we are aiming to have a fully funded, fully detailed proposal."
Farnham also praised his Council of Ministers' differences, suggesting their range of views were a strength rather than a weakness.
"When we disagree, we debate more and that leads to better decision-making," he said.
"All of the ministers, whatever their political views are mindful that we're all working for the best interests of islanders and not for our ourselves."
Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
Lyndon Farnham wins Chief Minister vote
Jersey chief minister sits in the BBC hot seat
Government of Jersey
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Parents' jobs to determine who gets civil service internships
Civil service hopefuls will have their fates decided by their parents' jobs under a shakeup aimed at recruiting more staff from working class backgrounds. The government will tighten eligibility criteria for Whitehall internships as part of a broader push to make the civil service more representative of the working class. The main Whitehall internship scheme will be limited to students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds" and based on which occupations their parents held when they were 14. Pat McFadden, the minister responsible for civil service reform, said Whitehall needed to reflect the country as a whole. "We need to get more working-class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country," he told the BBC. "The government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve." The changes will take effect from summer 2026 and will give young people experience writing briefings, planning events, conducting policy research and shadowing civil servants, according to the broadcaster. The existing work summer placement programme, which lasts up to eight weeks and is paid, is open to undergraduates in the final two years of their degree. The move comes after the government announced plans to move thousands more civil servants out of London as part of plans to "radically reform the state". In May, the government confirmed it would cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and shift jobs to a series of new regional "campuses" across the country. Mr McFadden said at the time that the government would be relocating a "substantial number of roles". "The aim is to reduce the London count by about 12,000. That will save us £94m in lease costs because the properties in London are very expensive. "And we will move thousands - it's difficult to put a precise number - thousands of those jobs to new themed campuses around the country," he told Times Radio. The changes will also see 11 government office buildings in London close, including one of its largest Westminster sites, in a move expected to save £94m a year by 2032. The move will see two new major "campuses" created, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and another in Aberdeen on energy. Manchester is already home to major offices of the science and culture departments, while Aberdeen houses the new Great British Energy headquarters. Other roles will be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York, with the changes expected to bring £729 million to the local economy by 2030.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Civil service internships to be restricted to working class
The government will tighten eligibility criteria for Whitehall internships as part of a broader push to make the civil service more representative of the working class. According to the BBC, the main internship scheme will now be limited to students from 'lower socio-economic backgrounds'. Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the minister responsible for civil service reform, said that Whitehall needed to reflect the broader community. 'We need to get more working-class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country,' he told the BBC. 'Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve.' The changes are expected to take effect from summer 2026 and will give young people experience writing briefings, planning events, conducting policy research and shadowing civil servants, according to the broadcaster. The existing work summer placement programme, which lasts up to eight weeks and is paid, is open to undergraduates in the final two years of their degree. The Duchy of Lancaster has been contacted for comment. The move comes after the Government announced plans to move thousands more civil servants out of London as part of plans to 'radically reform the state'. In May, the Government confirmed it would cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and shift jobs to a series of new regional 'campuses' across the country. Mr McFadden said at the time that the Government would be relocating a 'substantial number of roles'. 'The aim is to reduce the London count by about 12,000. That will save us £94 million in lease costs because the properties in London are very expensive. 'And we will move thousands – it's difficult to put a precise number – thousands of those jobs to new themed campuses around the country,' he told Times Radio. The changes will also see 11 Government office buildings in London close, including one of its largest Westminster sites, in a move expected to save £94 million a year by 2032. The move will see two new major 'campuses' created, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and another in Aberdeen on energy. Manchester is already home to major offices of the science and culture departments, while Aberdeen houses the new Great British Energy headquarters. Other roles will be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York, with the changes expected to bring £729 million to the local economy by 2030.
The Hill
8 hours ago
- The Hill
Watch Live: Biden addresses National Bar Association in Chicago
Former President Biden is scheduled to speak at the National Bar Association's annual gala in Chicago on Thursday night. His visit comes after publicly disclosing he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Biden stepped back into the spotlight following the end of his term earlier this year and gave his first post-presidency interview to the BBC in May. He also sat down with 'The View' that month. The National Bar Association is the oldest and largest network of African American lawyers, judges, law professors and law students in the United States
