A Planning Mess

One thing I note about my return to Jersey is the state of the Island. It is mish-mash of buildings and in parts the buildings are quite ugly. France
seems to have uniform little towns and villages of quaint character. If you look at towns in Scotland they have a uniformity, be it of colliery worker built accommodation to the sectors of council housing, to the sectors of modern housing and more expensive housing. All are generally in their own
quarters of a particular town. I know there is more land to play with in these areas but even the industrialised areas and concentrated in one section.

Jersey, however, is one mix of the worst in a way. Yes it has its villages, particularly St. Aubin's and Gorey but they are in pockets. Gorey is becoming more urbanised and in danger of losing its village character.

Jersey housing in general is ugly with little pockets of building schemes or Estates all differing in their style and mixed together.

The drive back to town from the airport only illustrates this. Victoria Avenue is hardly worth the name with its mix of houses and flats. The
Waterfront is disgraceful and no attempt to state that it will be world class when finished can obscure the fact that it will not be. Some delicate planning is needed, not hard faced offices. But, this appears to be beyond the architects and the planners who approve the schemes.

There appears to be no planning consistency. We now have plans for a reflective glass scheme at the end of Wesley Street behind the facade of the old methodist church. The design drawings may look nice but the reality will be different. There is no place for such a development. Does Jersey need more flats. Has any consideration been given to the social aspects of building more flats and housing estates bunched so close together. The fact that it creates more living stress and neighbourhood strife. Probably not.

What seems to be lost on Jersey authorities is the fact that it will be a long time to repair such a planning mess.

Return

Having relaxed overseas time to return to Jersey.

Not back an hour - noisy neighbours - barbecue - not a thought for their own neighbours or the smoke blowing across our garden.

Strange on the flight back of course, full of local people, having been in a quiet location, I found the snippets of their conversation at the least pretentious and ostentatious, lots of designer sun glasses etc: the "oh we hired a yacht with a skipper..."; the peroxide 3 who all had excess baggage - not a thought for other flyers or the fact that there is reason for baggage weight; plane delayed as overloaded and redistribution of baggage needed. Oh well an early reminder of Jersey as it is.

Probably a case of post holiday blues setting in - back to the real world.

London Stereo

One website that is of interest to me is the site of the London Stereoscopic Company which is run by Brian May (guitarist of rock band Queen) and Elena Vidal.

Whilst I do not pretend to understand the principles of the stereo photos (although I am trying to get a grip on that) what I do like are the TR Williams pictures from the middle of the 19th Century which show a time far removed from today's stressed out world. I am rather getting into reading about it and particularly enjoying the photography.

To me the site is a delight and well worth a look so I thought I would highlight it to the few readers of this blog who might be interested.

Back in a couple of weeks or so - off to France...

Traffic Jam

Ever since the buffoon and his department had the brilliant idea of putting traffic lights at the west end of the tunnel within 30 feet of another set there has to my mind been a huge increase in traffic jams in the westerly traffic flow. (I don't drive very often (pedestrian by choice) but on the few occasions I do, at various times of the day, there are now traffic jams when there were none or few). Are there not people in the buffoon's department who are responsible for traffic management. If there are they have failed miserably. If they were employed in the private sector they would be jobless by now.

If you want to have zebra crossings do so. Get rid of the majority of traffic lights. Have roundabouts and let the traffic and pedestrians move freely using common sense. I know it is something some civil servants may not have a lot of, but the majority of the general population do. Stop having traffic lights at the exit to roundabouts. Generally, pedestrians can be sensible and cross on zebra crossings, the have the ability to look right and left, rather than straight
ahead with blinkers like some Jersey politicians.

Battle of Flowers

Just a brief post on this Battle of Flowers day.

Referring, as quite a few local bloggers do, to the quality of the JEP I was interested to note their headline yesterday "Battle of Flowers Saved".

I wasn't aware that this years event was threatened in any way so it was a bit of an emotive headline. Apparently next years event was threatened however.

Anyway the Battle of Flowers doesn't appear to be very eco-friendly. I had never realised the blooms had to be imported from Holland. Could they not use flowers grown in Jersey or are they the wrong type? I don't know, just a thought.

USA declares war on offshore tax havens

The plans for the waterfront financial quarter have been submitted. No doubt consent will be given.

So what happens if the USA and any other country really do take offshore havens to task as they appear intent to do. The USA has stated that tax havens wage war on US economic interests. That is a point. The tax havens by their beneficial status to business also wage economic war on their own citizens, for example Jersey, i.e. you and I, 20/20 and GST taxpayers who are now subsidizing huge corporations and their tax beneficiaries.

It now appears that they are revisting the matter which commenced last year. Look at this post attributed to Senator Carl Levin (a real Senator in the US senate) or look at this from the Senate itself from which you will note that Barack Obama is a promoter. Obviously Barack Obama is a presidential candidate and no doubt he will seek an audience with the new Chief Minister of Jersey to discuss matters at the highest level to reach compromise.

Despite what our revered States of Jersey government may say, you know the high powered leaders on the international arena, these effective local councillors they are not a patch on real Senators or the USA for flexing muscle. We are but a fly under a swat. Here is the draft of the bill. It may have been around some time but it looks like it is back at the forefront.

So Jersey cannot rely on in its tax haven status forever. Will it be here in 20 years time. I am beginning to doubt this and hence rather than a move to independence Jersey should perhaps look at embracing the EU or other tangible options and becoming a nice place to live rather than taxing its own citizens to the hilt and forcing the local population to move to one side to allow immigrants in to take jobs that could be done by local youngsters.

Following events this week in Georgia and with Russian control of commodities becoming an ever greater threat the interests of the US and the EU will again become more aligned. There will be little toleration for small jurisdictions nibbling away from the inside.

Waterfront Development Planning Application Submitted

In case you haven't noticed the application for the Waterfront has slipped quietly into the JEP tonight in the application pages with no article from the JEP on the most important development in Jersey's history nor as far as I am aware any passing comment on any local news station. (Now on CTV a day later and no doubt in the JEP on Wednesday)

Here is the link to the planning website.

Search for P/2008/1680

Esplanade Quarter, Esplanade, St. Helier
Planning Principle Mixed use development of 16 separate building blocks ranging from 5 to 9 storeys high comprising offices, retail and restaurants, 388 residential apartments, 65 self-catering units, wintergardens, a boutique hotel, public open spaces. 2 floors of underground car parking comprising of 900 private spaces and 520 public spaces and associated works including a new underground road tunnel and other associated roadworks and landscaping.


I wonder where the obligatory site notice has been posted. The area is so vast it must be somewhere.

Interesting how the sinking of the road is thrown in as an after thought. Once all those people are here it won't really be worth living in Jersey will it. See my post about making Housing qualifications a tradeable asset.

If you want to object get your letters in now. Not that anyone in the States or Planning will listen to you even if the public doesn't want 9 storey buildings or the main road sunk.

Housing Qualifications - Make them a tradeable asset

In continuation of my earlier post today on the J Cat - I know this might seem a bit controversial but as a solution to immigration why not make the Housing qualification a tradeable asset where the possessor of the qualification could sell it or lease the housing qualification. If we have the right to live here we should have the right to decide if we want to sell our asset.

This would only be allowed for Jersey born people who had rights by birth and not acquired rights. In this way whilst trading the right to live in Jersey only those who could afford to would then be able to purchase or lease the Housing qualification. This may be a simplistic approach but then businesses could purchase the J category rather than new ones being granted. No new consents need be granted for incoming residents unless they are acquired from an outgoing resident.

So say there is a family of four with 2 adults, one natural born Jersey and the other acquired by residence, then the Jersey person could sell or lease their Housing status to a third party. If people have to emigrate because they cannot afford to live here surely having the right to benefit from their Housing qualification is only fair.

Only the acquired consents could be trade and they would always have attached to them the right for the original owner to re-acquire consent at the market value in the future.

At least such an idea would provide an outlet for the Jersey born person who feels disenfranchised by the elected representatives who are only to happy to have sold their constituents and island down the river and such a person could leave with a sufficient sum in their pocket to know they could start up elsewhere with a tidy sum.

Who knows one of those standing for election in the autumn may steal my idea - remember where you read it first.

The above is only an idea from a Jersey born person.

The J Cat

These so called essential employees are buying houses in Sydney Crill Park, Le Clos des Fonds, Marina Avenue, Dorset Street, flats, small houses in town etc all of which were originally intended for Jersey first time buyers or which could be purchased by local people. There used to be a limit on J category price which was £275,000, I think. This has never been raised and therefore whilst prices have risen inexorably because of the J cat invasion this level has not thereby having the effect of drawing more mediocre premises into the sphere of the J cat and taking them away from the local.

If the Housing Minister, Terry Le Main, Senator, (2005 elections 12,159 votes, 4th, doesn't have to stand until 2011) had raised this level local people may not be losing so many houses and flats to the J Cats, ordinary houses that could have been purchased by Jersey born people and there may not have been such an inflation in house prices. That is only my supposition but it does seem a reasonable assumption.

The real inflation in Jersey house prices has occurred primarily because of the influx of J cats. There is no other explanation. Otherwise prices would have steadily bumped along as they had done since 1998 barely increasing between 2000 and the end of 2006.

What do these J category people do?

Well some of them are merely account managers at local finance businesses. Some are personnel officers, CEO's and finance officers in local supermarket chains owned by private equity. Some are accountants. Some are hedge fund managers earning millions. There are many. Some are worthy such as nurses, doctors and teachers.

Is the family minded economic development minister, Ozouf, Senator, seriously saying that indigenous Jersey people are incapable of undertaking these jobs. Perhaps he is because he hasn't been too complementary about the local education system in recent times, witness his comments about Highlands.

And don't believe that J cats really are here only for the duration of their employment. Surely they simply change jobs and of course gain qualifications in their own right by serving their time. Some are that good they are given "permanent" J cat status.

Do they really benefit the economy with their taxes or do they just add to the already huge burden on the creaking infrastructure putting pressure on Health resources and schools as well. The fact is our road system is creaking under the strain. The drainage system is creaking. The mains services are creaking. Driving on a Saturday is now like driving in the rush hour on any day.

What is to be left for the local children in terms of jobs etc. Will they have the chance for career advancement or are all these jobs barred to them because Jersey plucks J cats from the UK. The original premise was that J cats would be temporary while a local person was trained. This does not seem to have happened.

Notable J-cats include, I believe, Environmental Health chief, former planning chief before he retired, Chief Officer, Chief Police Officer, new Deputy Police Chief, States Economist, the soon to be former Airport Director;

Are locals really too thick for any of these jobs?

Despite what I say above I am not against J cats but something drastic needs to happen to implement a control on the population. Anyway ask your candidate at the next hustings - do you think they understand any of the implications or impact of the policies they have supported - after all if they get elected they get a salary.

Old Boy Network

It is somewhat worrying that an investigation so important as the Haut de la Garenne investigation should seemingly be obstructed by those within government or within the civil service. This is nothing short of a disgrace and tantamount to neglect. This is not some minor case - people's lives have been ruined and delay and obfuscation only serves to tarnish the reputation of the Island and its people.

Any delay is allowing those who may have perpetrated horrendous crimes to remain at large, possibly to commit further crimes. How can this be allowed to continue. Lenny Harper has said as much to the Daily Telegraph whereby he criticises an old boy network engaging in a day to day attack on the abuse investigation. We have no reason to disbelieve these remarks and such actions are damaging to any remaining reputation Jersey may have and an insult to the victims of the child abuse. It is a disgrace that a file is left on a desk since April. It is a disgrace that certain persons have not been charged when possibly they could have been. Why were the couple who were recently arrested not charged. Surely it should have been for a jury to decide the interests of justice based on the evidence supplied.

If Mr. Harper had not gone to the media in the way he did earlier this year a lot of people may not have come forward for the simple reason that they believed the abusive behaviour they suffered in their childhood was the norm rather than abusive.

Any one in the States or in the so called establishment who thinks otherwise and hopes that the scandal will slip away quietly should really be ashamed of themselves. What Jersey should do is face facts, confront the issue with full openness, and address all matters arising out of it and show that it can deal with the matter.

Dear Guy

I don't want your zebra crossings and traffic lights at the end of the tunnel and at the exit to every roundabout - I am a pedestrian and can think for myself
I don't want your amendments to the end of the Victoria Avenue
I don't want your toxic waste plant spoiling the ramsar site on the South East of the Island
I don't want your adminstered Howard Davis Park blasting out band music, rock music, films every night and weekend of the summer so I can't have some peace,
I don't want to see our roads remain unmaintained by your department
I don't want to see four of your workers doing one man's job
I don't want another manifesto from you - have a look at his 2005 key policies here - have any of these been implemented.
I don't want to hear anymore of the Puffin Slayer from Channel TV
I don't want to remain disenfranchised because I didn't vote for you to be a Senator, didn't get elected, yet you had the temerity to stand as a Deputy;
How come you are a minister?
I don't want to hear about your Connex deal
Most of all I do want you to be jobless after this years elections - and may you never be elected to the States again. Hopefully you'll choose not to stand at all - but if you do stand for Senator - let's hope you are humiliated.

Jersey Credit Crunched?

With many media commentators all predicting gloom and doom for the worldwide economy one also has to remember that it is August and a time when people traditionally go on holiday.

What media commentators tend to forget is that when they are referring to a forthcoming recession with all their gloom laden predictions - basically the recession is happening now and they will be reporting on it and its effect in a few months. Yes there will be bad news nationally but the poor trading is happening now and it is the results of that which work through over the next 18 months.

For Jersey this August is probably the slowest business wise for many years and it has been slowing for a while, probably really since the 6th May. There have already been job cuts and business closure at the airport. GST, the tax imposed by our government, and supported by the GST 28, is partly to blame for that.

That said there are however now signs of activity in the property market. While Jersey Home Loans have all but withdrawn from the local market and there has been a slight softening of prices it is noticeable that the high street banks are back in the lending sphere notably NatWest offering 95% mortgages there is not really evidence of any house price crash in Jersey. Nor do I think there will be. There may be losses of Estate Agencies however and some mortgage brokers too.

A lot of people will now go direct to the bank rather than via a mortgage broker. This way would be better for the customer. As a customer you are then out of the loop of the broker who is really there to sell you a product upon which they get a commission. Cut out the middle man and save money.

A walk through town shows that there are many people out and about there are queues in shops and people are still buying. Whether they are spending as much is quite another matter. Inflation and GST have probably caused a lower spend.

I know personally I have cut back; because I walk a lot I only have to fill the petrol tank once a month and having cut the temperature on the boiler and water heater it looks like I am on course to only use 2 tanks (1700 litres of oil) this year.

Whether now is the time to embark on a £300 million waterfront project is another matter or whether it will prove perfect timing is yet to be seen. I doubt it will be the latter.

Jobless (thanks to GST and the GST28)

So a dozen people have been made unemployed at the airport and it is all thanks to GST and a business has decided to cease trading. Well done the States of Jersey for protecting all ordinary workers. The GST 28, as detailed on other blogs, no doubt feel nothing for these people. Let us hope they lose their jobs at the next election. For the rest of us we have to cope with soaring inflation, 3% GST, including on food and water. Don't the GST 28 really consider they are the lowest of the low. Next thing we'll hear is that they're looking for business opportunies in China; oh, I forgot, they are, the family man is dealing with that!

In the real world there will be more redundancies to come in the next few months.

Meanwhile, if you work for the States, you still have your final salary pension and job security. Not only that but we public have to pay tax at 20 means 20 and also pay for services that we already pay for, planning applications, hospital appointments etc - £16.00 for a scan. What do we pay Social Security and Income Tax for?

Surely there must come a turning point for the public where we all say no more - the starting point will be the elections in 2008

Social Security - Heartless

Despite having years of social security contributions those who have done so diligently and not sponged off the state are now being penalised by the State by being means tested to the extent that they are asked what property they own, what shares they own, what is in their bank accounts etc, basically all the details of their whole life that they have scrimped and saved for and already been taxed on.

Why are the very people who have contributed full time for years are then being penalised when they actually need state aid and which is part of the purpose for which Social Security was created. If you do nothing and contribute nothing it seems that only these people benefit.

Elderly people lose their homes and the inheritance which could have been passed onto families is gone when the home has to be sold to fund nursing care.

However, I had started writing this before I read in the JEP on 6th August 2008, page 7, the article "Heartless" which you can read here. Indeed why does the man injured in a motorcycle accident not receive benefit because he has missed one payment. This man has a young child of 5 years old and a partner. This shows Jersey's position to the world on social care.

The minister for Social Security would appear indeed to be Heartless. Social Security refused to comment. Well the electorate can comment when Paul Routier, Senator, stands for election. Ask the question direct of Routier, Senator, at the next hustings. Why did his department not pay this man? Then vote him out and don't allow him back in to the States as a Deputy. If he stands for re-election, don't let this man treat the electorate as fools.

Independence, the EU and Local Democracy

Let's take a simplistic look at the scenario of independence and local democracy. I am no expert and this just a simplistic jotting of some thoughts.

The question is why would Jersey want to go to independence. At the moment our government is is apparently autocratic and undemocratic despite being elected. The politicians, in general the Council of ministers, once elected follow their own ideas, follow each other but do not follow their manifestos or mandates - witness GST, 20 means 20 and zero-10. Most of the back bench appear happy to take the salary, do not comment much and do little but obfuscate when asked questions. Some would not be capable of such earning power in the outside world as they are in States. Sadly, some of the politicians seem to regard the electorate as lesser beings than themselves in intelligence, and are supercilious and overbearing in their nature.

However, we, as an Island, almost slavishly, follow EU edicts to the letter without having any regard to the fact that the Island is not a member of the EU and has no vote therein, has no MP or MEP, and does not have any of the benefits of membership. We have changed our tax system, conform without question to OECD requirements for money laundering, health and safety and numerous other directives. The electorate has therefore had no say.

The Island is too dependent on imports for all basic foodstuffs and power, could not be self sufficient in defence and there would also be no guarantee that the finance industry would stay. Jersey is tied to UK monetary policy, cannot set its own interest rates to control inflation. It would need its own currency and what value would that have in the world.

Whilst Jersey remains a Crown dependency there is a sort of political stability, however politacally flawed, which provides some comfort to the major institutions and individuals investing here. What comfort would they have from an independent Jersey.

Surely, if Jersey were to become independent it would have no choice but to apply to and to become a member of the EU - At least then all members of the community would be able to work in the EU. There would also hopefully be benefit from EU subsidies; Jersey would also be a very desirable location for living. There would be no Housing qualifications so it would end the lodging house requirements. Yes there would be a boost to the economy. The States would effectively become what they already are - like it or not - a local council, but perhaps they would be more accountable. We would also have our own MEP for representation in the EU parliament.

By the same token the recent calls from what could be deemed to be the non-establishment and backbench MPs for the UK government to intervene in Jersey legal procedures at the current stage are equally wide of the mark for the reason that those calling for them are saying that Jersey is undemocratic and ruled by an oligarchy but in the same breath they are quite happy for state intervention by the UK notwithstanding that the electorate here have no vote in the UK; such intervention could be ruinous upon Jersey's reputation and its wider population. Again this would appear unjust. Why is ok to require this when we, the Public, can not have a vote? My point here is not about the Haut de la Garenne issue - that is a separate point which must be addressed. It is about democracy.

If any changes are to be made to Jersey, be they about independence, the judiciary or intervention by the UK they should first be decided upon at the ballot box and those standing for election should nail their colours to the mast as to where they stand on all issues.

A Walk at the Seashore

It seems nowadays children have to learn what to look for and how to fish and to be responsible at the seashore and must be led in guided groups.

What happened to the days where you learned the ebb and flow of the tides from your peers, what to look out for by way of currents, where they ran and how they ran and the varying speeds dependent on when it was a spring tide or neap tide.

Times change.

On a recent walk towards Icho my son and I noted something that I had not seen in such abundance in my youth, and that was the sheer amount of digging for bait that had occurred with scant regard for the environment. I would say that this year so much digging had been done that it appeared to have altered some of the flow of the low water streams. Probably it hadn't but to my incensed mind it had. When we had got as far as we could, which was at low tide so it was some way out, probably in line with La Sambue, the peace was disturbed by noise to our left. Yes, someone obviously had dispensation that they could bring their 4 wheel drive onto the beach to that distance, parked and fishing. Well who are we to bother? Seeking a bit of silence behind Green Island as we both walked round we had forgotten that there was some sort of organised trip to Green Island that day. We were treated to the sound of the out of tune strumming of a guitar by some youths together with their loud (fat!) girlfriends with their "like, you know, like, it was so cool, you know like, she said, cool" conversation.

At the car park on a hot day now, you always have cars parking on the keep clear areas and blocking the top areas of slip ways which are then only wide enough for a car to get past. Obviously these people have never seen an inshore rescue boat needing to get down a slipway. No doubt this scenario doesn't apply to them until they require it. These are the sort of people who will happily allow their children into the sea on a lilo or the like without any knowledge of the tide.

For the evenings now there are endless beach bbqs and parties on the beach which I cannot recall happening with any great frequency in the 1970's.

On any beach if it is a remotely windy day to add to the hazard there are kite boarders. Does this not have a health and safety issue? Does Captain Chaos' department have sufficient insurance for any accidental death. Does he care?

Even with the beach dog ban in the summer you still see any number of dogs off leads during the proscribed hours. Why? One owner said that they had talked to a former Constable and they were allowed to walk their dog without a lead because the low tide areas were not the beach. Well why don't we all make the law up to suit ourselves as we go along because it can't apply to us, can it?

Is it me or has life changed for the worse. Sorry for the moan about something that was all a few weeks ago but today's society seems to lack any self responsibity. It's never anyone's fault.

Airport Flybe Experience

Took the Airport Flybe experience this weekend.

I have to say that travelling without luggage and checking in online is quite a good way of travel. So the first part of the journey was easy.

Well, airside at Jersey Airport is of course phemoninal. 5 minutes for the checkout girl at the Alpha Airports restaurant to deal with the credit card of the person in front of me.

WHSmith - to buy a bottle of water, the queue must have been 18 deep and took a further ten minutes. All rather disheartening. But not as disheartening as it remains at the actual gates which are like cattle sheds, overly warm, and do nothing to ease any nervous flyer.

The UK airport, Edinburgh, was overall a better experience, except for 2 things. Unable to check in online, I had to use Flybe check-in. The queue was far too long by the time I got there but the result of about 3 Flybe departures within a short time of each other - there were only two girls doing the check in - and the third one was doing the fast bag drop until the penny dropped that it might help if she
checked others in when there was no one waiting to fast bag drop. That said it was efficient and the check in staff were polite.

Then there was security. Why is it a random thing that some passengers must take their shoes off and others not. Surely it is all or nothing. Went through that ok but then there was a five minute wait for belongings whilst people who had gone through earlier were scanned more thoroughly than others. BAA (not known for customer service) need to improve this. Thereafter airside and the gates are so much better than Jersey. Room to sit - you don't feel hemmed in at the gate.

Flybe service back to Jersey very good and on time. Can't say I was impressed with the £25.00 bill for leaving my car for 50 hours. Not sure if I was charged GST though.

Home Composting - A Surprise

Now TTS, you know the department headed up by the buffoon - good old Captain Chaos, (yes, come on, you know the one who ran for Senator in 2002 finishing 7th, and again in 2005 when he received only 4,994 votes finishing 12th of the fifteen candidates stood for election for Deputy and finished 4th (last) with polled 836 votes and got elected to the council of ministers), are keen that as many households as possible, i.e. those that have a garden and aren't stuck in flats, bedsits or lodgings, should use a compost bin. Here is the link Home Composting. It gives you a construction instruction and tells you what you can compost and states the bleeding obvious about what you can't.

Try it and see what you get. I tried it before the TTS web article was ever published and my bin was sited as suggested. What a surprise. At 6am one morning as I was making my first cup of the day I noticed at the foot of the second tree in my garden (there are only two) something moving. I was so pleased. I had seen blackbirds in the garden before, I had seen sparrows, one woodpecker (once only), blue tits (birds - the wife wasn't cold), but I had not seen a thrush. This was exciting. It was just beneath the bird feeder. Wonderful. I stared a little longer. Wherewas its mate? Were there youngsters. Then it stood up slightly, and I noticed its little paws and whiskers, its twitching nose, its knawing teeth chewing on some bird seed between its paws. Its long scaly tail. Some thrush! This was a large rat; It was clearly a clever rat who had moved into its new luxury dream home. My home composting bin. Down went the rat bait. Some three weeks later I dared open the top to the bin and there was a stiff tail and rat nestled in the top. Fortunately dead. Now I only really but grass in that bin but if you put in the items suggested by TTS and construct it in the manner suggested you could end up with your very own luxury apartments for rats.

I found out mine was not an isolated incident - my dad had some - someone else had been shovelling out their compost bin by hand to a new bin and had a crash course in live rat handling - and the rat catcher said it was a very common problem caused by food and the fact you need to put mesh down before putting the bin in place (unlike the instructions to site it on bare earth). You also have to keep an eye out for tunnelling etc within the bin.

Well needless to say since then my bin has been used a lot less. But follow the TTS instructions and you are creating a dream home for a rodent and their family. If that's your thing ok. And the States don't deal with rats any more - or they didn't at that time - Environment health told me I had to get a rat catcher - at my cost. So I pay taxes, have to dispose of my own waste and the States don't pay for the consequences. Excellent.

Oh Yes! Could Jersey Plan something like this?

If Jersey really wanted a world class attraction it could look at something like this.

This is a project that has been in the planning mix from conception so to speak since 2000 - it has been through the usual mill of councillors, planning, government etc. The development is to be constructed on the site of a colliery which will need to be remediated and will (if it goes ahead and it is much more likely now that it will) be the largest covered indoor sports, leisure and convention centre in Europe. Yes it will be world class. It already has partners - will be Eco friendly, promoting green tourism, the Company developing it is already in partnership with E.ON, BT and others.

Where is it located - Rotherham - 1 mile from the M1 with a catchment of 2 million within a two hour drive and it has the Country park into the bargain. It will also have its own on site hotels and restaurants.

Not a Center Parcs but something completely different. Supposedly it will create 3000 jobs and 2000 during construction phase. If you want to look the best place to find out more seems to be at Rothbiz. I have been following the progress of this since 2005. It has a bit of an unfortunate name, The YES! Project - "Yorkshire Entertainment Sensation" - but I can't hold that against it.

Why have I written this - diverting attention from the centre of the world - Jersey. Well I do have a small shareholding (I mean small - not a vested interest, purchased on the basis of this recent news) in the developing company, but really what has impressed me it is the sheer determination of the principals of company proposing to develop this project in pursuing this idea and who have put this through on a shoestring over 8 years. They have put together a team of top class designers, from architects CWzG, BT and contractor Laing O'Rourke. The idea is the development will be sustainable and ultimately eco-friendly - E.ON is involved in that part. You'll need to read the articles on those points.

So to the point. What World class tourism ideas does Jersey have. Can one spring straight to your mind. It's difficult isn't. Why do we not have any one or engage someone who has the same determination.

Admittedly, we do not have a catchment of two million - but something other than its present use (heaven forbid Housing) could be done with Fort Regent - why not a skate board park in the dome - why not refurbish the swimming pool and include a surf school there - what about a climbing wall, what about a permanent ice rink - there is parking. Is acceptable that the cost of the swimming pool caused it to close and the subsidised Aquasplash built in its place. How much has it cost to have the swimming pool - a prime piece of real estate - standing idle and empty, wasting away for 8 years? Surely one of the world class architects could design a world class leisure scheme to benefit islanders and children particularly which would be focussed - rather than the mix of uses the Fort currently has.

Just think instead of offices on the Waterfront Jersey could have had a world class leisure, swimming and conference centre, marina, hotel. Instead it has tomorrows potential ghetto and to the south-east of the harbour we will have our own toxic waste dump and incinerator. What a mix! I suppose it could still have its own extreme sports for free - imagine driving through the sunken road and trying to escape from your car when the road floods with seawater!!