Alderney by-election hustings

Four candidates will contest Alderney's by-election a week on Saturday.

It's being held to replace Richard Cox who resigned as a States Member in April.

The would-be politicians are 63-year old businesswoman Lois Fitzgerald, 66-year old Martin Hunt, a retired principal officer for a dog rescue society, 75-year old Tony Llewellyn, a retired Chartered Engineer, and 70-year old Geoffrey Sargent, a semi-retired Chartered Accountant.

Voters will have the opportunity to quiz the candidates at a hustings tomorrow evening in the Island Hall, beginning at 7.00pm (from ChannelTV)

Its a shame to see that the all the candidates are in the 60plus age group... Why does the election not attract the younger candidate?

Alderney's by-election candidates are split over whether a marina should be built in the island.

Lois FitzGerald, Martin Hunt, Tony Llewellyn and Geoffrey Sargent all took part in hustings ahead of the 11 October poll on Wednesday night at the Island Hall.

Each of them answered questions on the cost of living, the smoking ban and proposed leisure centre but it was the marina which caused most debate at the gathering, which was attended by about 75 members of the public.

Retired chartered engineer Tony Llewellyn, 75, spoke first on the subject.

He said: 'I do not see great value in a marina. I have been told it will bring income and employment but I can't see it happening.

'I don't believe it can be built for £5m. and I also fail to see why a private developer has not come to the island and said they want to build a marina here and make a fortune from it.'

Mr Sargent, 70, a semi-retired chartered accountant, said: 'I do think a marina will bring income to the island. A lot of people don't like coming here and tying their boat to a swinging mooring. Residents would also like to moor their boats.

'This is a long-term project and we cannot say it will be financed by the States. It won't make a fortune but there aren't fortunes to be made here.'

Mr Hunt, 66, a retired principal officer for a dog rescue society, said: 'I think talk of a marina is sheer optimism. It would be a nice facility but who is going to pay for it?

'I don't think it is an option at the moment and I don't think there is the money to build it. I also think there are other things that are much more important on the island at the moment.'

Ms FitzGerald, a 63-year-old businesswoman, said: 'There needs to be a lot more discussion but we should find a way to build a marina. This is exactly the time when we should be looking for a way of building a marina.

'If we keep Alderney the way it is our income is going to keep going down and down.

Where is your energy, gentlemen? I don't see it.'

The by-election is being held to find a replacement for Richard Cox, who resigned from the States in May. Whoever wins the poll will hold office until the remainder of Mr Cox's term, which ends on 31 December 2010.

This is the second by-election to be organised since Mr Cox's resignation after the first one, scheduled for June, failed to attract any candidates (from Alderney Journal