It is entirely reasonable for the residents of a small island to take interest in the future plans of a primary transport provider.
However, airline bosses are not politicians and can ultimately serve only one master. If the priorities set by politicians are not to the liking of a section of the population, you end up with airline bosses having to start playing political games and enter popularity contests to keep their jobs. If Aurigny as a publicly owned carrier doesn't do the population's bidding, then politicians must bear some responsibility in setting overall priorities for the airline.