Calls for resignations are growing, as uncertainty prevails over Jersey's future ferry services, with still no decision on an operator beyond the end of March 2025.

Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel has said he will ask DFDS to 'provide a solution' after Condor rejected a seven month contract extension.

Its main shareholder, Brittany Ferries, has declined to comment on its decision.

Deputy Kirsten Morel told the States Assembly that his concerns about awarding the 15 year contract are rooted in Condor's debts.

"Last December I received a request from, I believe it was shareholders, of the ferry company concerned, quite simply, for £40 million to ensure they could continue operating the services, and of that £40m, £10m was apparently urgent."

The Minister had previously revealed that the governments of Jersey and Guernsey are paying a combined €700,000 a month for two ferries to sit in Dunkirk on standby as a freight-only contingency should they be needed to ship lifeline supplies to the islands.

Deputy Morel has said that he'll ask DFDS to 'take expressions of interest of bookings', while also promising he will have a decision on the long-term operator within the next month.

"We'd expect the chosen operator to begin sailings immediately thereafter to allow islanders and visitors to begin booking for the 2025 season and beyond.

"We do expect to get both tickets on sale and the ability for tour operators to sell tickets within the next month."

Read: Jersey could be without ferry operator from March 2025 after Condor rejects offer

 Deputy Kirsten Morel

Backbench politicians have called the indecision 'disastrous', while hospitality leaders have warned that the 2025 visitor season is in serious jeopardy.

Mounting anger from islanders has included numerous calls for the minister to resign:

Reaction on our social media pages includes:

"Could they have made a bigger hash of all this? I think the school children debating in the States Chamber could have made a better job of it. Perhaps the minister should just resign and let someone else more capable get on with it? But who?

"Its a complete farce, not just the Minister but the Chief Minister should resign for causing this mess !"

"Those responsible for this absolute shambles should do the decent thing and resign, as being in government should mean you have to make decisions and take responsibility and ownership of them, both of which they have neglected to do."

Supporting voices are in the minority:

"I believe that our government are trying to do the best for the island long term , listening to the questions in the house this morning and Deputy Lyndon Farnham and Deputy Kirsten Morel , I think they have more information than we know . Very telling that we have a boat on standby since last year as it was felt that condor had financial issues ."

Robert Mackenzie, Managing Director of tour operator CI Travel Group, stressed the importance of the government making the right choice.

15 years is a long time for a contract and planning a future fleet strategy is critical. It's resulted in a god unholy mess BUT Jersey needs to get the decision right and if that takes another month then that is the correct thing to do.

— Robert Mackenzie (@MackenzieJersey) November 12, 2024

Guernsey says it is making good progress on its negotiations with Brittany Ferries, and is confident it can run a Guernsey-only service that meets the islands needs."

Deputy Neil Inder, Economic Development Committee President said:

"Jersey’s decision is a matter for that island. I will respect whatever decision it reaches, while of course being naturally disappointed if it’s not joining us with a single provider – the provider we selected, Brittany Ferries, was selected based on the joint tender that we ran with Jersey in accordance with the published procurement documents.

"‘There seems to be an inaccurate narrative being purported about the process. We didn’t break away from the process, we followed it throughout and a preferred bidder needed to be selected. We delivered the certainty our island deserves and only did so after giving Jersey two weeks’ notice of our intention following the closure of the scoring by both islands."