New HM Comptroller is appointed

Mr McMahon was appointed as the island's HM Comptroller

Guernsey's newly appointed Her Majesty's Comptroller has expressed an interest in working on the island's constitution in the future.

Richard McMahon was sworn in by the Bailiff, Sir Geoffrey Rowland, as the island's junior law officer.

He said he would be delighted to be involved in drawing up any changes to the island's governance.

The structure of government changed in 2004, but calls for further changes have since been made.

It's an exciting time to be meeting a new challenge, there's plenty going on Richard McMahon

Mr McMahon said he was most interested in "the way of making any form of government that is chosen workable and the status of the island and the Bailiwick vis-à-vis external partnerships".

He said: "It's an exciting time to be meeting a new challenge, there's plenty going on... and hopefully I'm reasonably well equipped to meet my small part in them."

Mr McMahon moved to Guernsey in 1995 as a legislative draftsman and was appointed a crown advocate and director of Civil Litigation in 2000.

In 2008 he was seconded to the Policy Council as the external relations policy and legal adviser.

Mr McMahon's full title is Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Deputy Receiver General. He will attend States meetings along with HM Procurer.

The law officers, of which he is the most senior, provide a range of legal services for the Crown, the States of Guernsey, the States of Alderney and Sark's Chief Pleas.

They also offer assistance to various public sector bodies, primarily with constitutional and public law issues.