Jersey’s chief minister releases letters revealing dispute

Jersey’s chief minister has released letters detailing complaints about her conduct made by one of her ministers.

Kristina Moore said publication of her correspondence with Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet showed they were working to resolve their differences.

Deputy Sam Mezec, Reform Jersey’s leader, challenged her in the States on Tuesday to release the letters.

An investigation into claims of a toxic culture in the government was called for last month.

Accusations about Ms Moore’s leadership have been made following the resignation of two health officials and chief executive Suzanne Wylie.

In the first letter, dated October 2022, Mr Binet wrote to Ms Moore about her behaviour at three separate meetings.

He claimed he left those meetings feeling “extremely stressed” and “unable to function”.

At one, concerning plans for the island’s new hospital, Ms Moore had not treated civil servants at the meeting with “the same respect as we would hope to receive from them”, he claimed.

Ms Moore responded: “As the leader of the government I consider it essential that I strive to demonstrate an even higher standard of myself than I would of others. This is a responsibility of which I am always conscious and aware.”

A document in March detailed a meeting between Mr Binet and Ms Moore in which he claimed there was a “hostile atmosphere” towards him at a council of ministers’ meeting after a media interview he did regarding the resignation of Ms Wylie.

An independent commissioner was appointed to look at how her resignation was handled following concerns and questions raised by States members.

Mr Binet criticised Ms Moore’s leadership, announced he intended to consider his future role in the government, but then confirmed he intended to continue in his post.

In the same document, Ms Moore counter-claimed Mr Binet had acted in an “aggressive manner” while speaking on the issue, while she had “remained calm”, but later said their meeting had left her feeling “very unsettled”.

A final letter on 13 April was sent by Ms Moore asking Mr Binet to meet and reconcile their differences, as she could not “allow a situation to continue where disagreements linger and distract us from the task of delivering on the plans that we have a democratic mandate to deliver”.

Both Ms Moore and Mr Binet have been asked for comment.

The release of these letters follows claims of a hostile culture within Jersey’s corridors of power, some high-profile civil service resignations and unhappiness at some recent decisions, including on the new hospital.

They also throw Deputy Tom Binet’s future into doubt again. He took two weeks to consider his future after the dispute over the resignation of the chief executive.

Now details of that dispute are public, will he want to stay in what is a very demanding and controversial job?

He has to worry about the new hospital, waste dumping at La Collette, and the state of the drainage system – and this latest development will be an unwelcome distraction.

Deputy Kristina Moore has faced criticism of her leadership before, and these documents won’t help her image as she tries to live up to her election pledge of respectful and transparent government.