Commerce and Employment welcomes JCRA appointment

Tuesday 06 July 2010

Guernsey’s Commerce and Employment Department and Jersey’s Economic Development Department are welcoming the intention by the Board of the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority to appoint John Curran as the Executive Director of the JCRA. Mr Curran is currently the Director General of the Office of Utility Regulation in Guernsey and he will perform both roles. His appointment will follow the departure of the current Executive Director, Charles Webb.

“The two Departments have for some time been encouraging closer working between the JCRA and the OUR and the opportunity to take this initiative is too good to miss”, said Carla McNulty Bauer, Minister for Commerce and Employment: “It is the first step, but an important one, in meeting the call from businesses and regulated companies in both Islands for closer working between the OUR and the JCRA. Hopefully it will also set a precedent for the development of further joint agencies in the future and prove a model for what can be achieved through closer working between the Islands where the political will exists.”

Senator Alan Maclean, Minister for Jersey’s Economic Development Department added: “Mr Curran’s appointment is a testament to the ability of Jersey and Guernsey to work together in a timely fashion to deliver a genuinely innovative solution and, in doing so, save costs and increase efficiency. I am confident that the appointment will deliver significant efficiencies and I look forward to further developments of this nature as States Departments in both Islands strive to contain costs.”

Mr Curran’s appointment as Executive Director of the JCRA is scheduled to take effect from the 1st October 2010. He will continue to be based in Guernsey but will travel to Jersey as necessary to undertake his duties.

He comments that: “There are extensive areas of common interest between the JCRA and the OUR and there is already a significant level of joint working. This represents an exciting opportunity to develop this co-operation further for the benefit of both Guernsey and Jersey consumers and businesses”.