Stuart Falla resigns saying company collapse 'has been like losing a close family member'

Stuart Falla CBE
Mr Falla has stepped down from his roles as Chair of Guernsey's Development Agency and a member of the STSB. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Former Deputy Stuart Falla has resigned from his advisory roles with the States of Guernsey, saying "the last few months have been a period of emotional turmoil".

It comes after the collapse of the Garenne Group and a difficult period for RG Falla, the construction group founded by his father in the 1950s.

In December 2022, the States backed out of a contract with the company to create Guernsey's new post-16 education campus at Les Ozouets, with the government saying the firm sought to "unilaterally alter" terms of their agreement.

Around the same time, the company announced it was moving into "small works".

In April 2023, the original RG Falla business, and its parent company the Garenne Group - which Mr Falla founded in the 1980s - went into liquidation.

Before the collapse, a new company was formed by RG Falla's directors, taking on the Guernsey business's staff, contracts and assets.

Although Mr Falla retired from the firm in 2016, he said seeing the group struggling has been "like losing a close family member" and caused him to reconsider his involvement with the Guernsey Development Agency and States Trading Supervisory Board:

"The past few months have been a period of some emotional turmoil for me and my family as a result of the demise of the group that I helped to create. Even though I stepped down from being a director seven years ago, seeing the group fall apart as a result of COVID-related inflation has been like losing a close family member.

"I have therefore been taking stock recently of whether the time is right for me personally to fully commit myself over the next three years to the very big undertaking that is the establishment of the Development Agency.

Mr Falla continued: "I still believe it is essential to have such an independent body if Guernsey is going to be serious about maintaining a strong economy for the coming generations. Now is an opportunity for new, fresh talent to take this project forward and build it into something truly game-changing

"I have very much enjoyed my work with STSB and with the Development Agency and I wish those who will take our work forward all the very best, as Guernsey is counting on them."

Deputy Ferbrache praised Mr Falla's "exceptional experience and proven track record" Credit: ITV Channel

Guernsey's top politician, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, paid tribute to Mr Falla's work advising the States: "I would like to thank Stuart for the invaluable experience he has brought to his roles with the States. We have been very fortunate to have someone with exceptional experience and a proven track record working with us for the benefit of the community.

"He has a deep passion for Guernsey and has helped to drive forward the new Development Agency - and I fully share his conviction that it is an essential body for the future of the island’s economy, and we must now look at how best we can get it fully up and running.

"We have been very fortunate indeed to have had the benefit of Stuart’s insight and intelligence for so many years. Guernsey is also very fortunate to have benefitted from his contributions."

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