States Loan & Housing Qualifications

We hear now that Senator Le Main is considering bringing back the States loan. Details are sketchy as ever but one presumes there is going to be some use of the attempted use of the economic stimulus fund.

This blog wrote about this point here some 14 months ago, mid crisis so to speak. Now things are taking another turn for the worse we get some action.

Equally instead of the knee jerk reaction to the J category being abandoned and all qualified persons being allowed to buy what they wanted what really is needed is the abandoning of Housing qualifications purely because, at some point, sooner rather than later someone will challenge it and they will succeed. Will Jersey be able to afford that?

The Unblinking Eye (Everything Is Broken)

I think this song (although 6 minutes long) tends to say it all quite succinctly (rather than write a blog about all the ill in society)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ZtaDOniZ0

Guernsey Waste for the Jersey Incinerator?

In true local media style I put my headline as if it is fact.

However reading the BBC local website today it is interesting to note that the chief officer of the department that looks after Jersey's waste incinerator has confirmed

John Rogers, the chief officer of the department that looks after Jersey's incinerator, said: "We're talking in principle - we have spare capacity."

and "We sized the plant for how much waste will be arriving in 25 years time.

"It's very hard to predict that, so there's got to be some capacity for growth - in the early years we've got spare capacity because we're not at that waste level.

"We can actually utilise that, if both islands agreed, by bringing Guernsey's waste across.

"What I must stress is that all this is subject to political agreement on both islands - we're there to help if necessary."

Well, exactly, it is subject to political agreement. Did the public of Jersey vote for this. No. Surely the remit of the chief officer to discuss matters with Guernsey should happen after he has political approval to do so and not before.

The States of Jersey has already sanctioned legalized pollution of properties and the south-east coast of the Island now the justification of the cost will be the commercialization of the energy from waste plant.

Turning the Lights Off

I think, with the decision of the Housing Minister to suspend the eminently sensible change of policy, it may be time for the States to stop sitting and the last one in the chamber to turn the lights off.

Whilst certain politicians were up in arms about the situation, why can't they turn the situation on its head and see that local people who were primarily first time buyers and were now wanting to be first time sellers, had, because of the recession, no market to sell in to.

Having decided to change the rules, the Housing Minister had been sensible, this was fairer to all but not least of all to those who could get the economy moving again by themselves moving to new homes, thus stimulating the economy

It is impossible to see what economic benefit putting new drains in at Rouge Bouillon or resurfacing Victoria Avenue does to benefit the Island economically. We are told it is an economic stimulus when we are spending our money but where is it circulating in the wider economy.

No Liberation for the Workers

Why did our States members do such a disservice to the memory of Liberation day and the Island by refusing to allow the Monday as a Bank holiday. They slavishly followed the UK over the Boxing Day and created a fiasco there.

Did your local Deputy or Constable ask his voters what they wanted. I know mine certainly did not and quite frankly if he stands again it would take some persuasion for him now to receive my vote. Can they give the reason for the way they voted.

The States are clearly very out of touch with the electorate.

On top of that we have the Planning minister telling the citizens that even though world leaders couldn't agree the Copenhagen summit Jersey, the 9 x 5 Island, will go that bit further. Yes, even if its electorate does not want it to. The electorate wasn't very supportive of candidates standing on a green mandate in the last election.

Verita Report

The Verita reported, having spent 3 hours reading it yesterday, is almost damning of the management at the hospital. At last today, the local accredited media almost says as much as well.

It paints a picture also of heroic efforts in the operating theatre following what is referred to as the accident in the theatre. However what happened should never have happened. Particularly telling is the reference by one of the referees on the relevant CV which states that re-employment circumstances would occur "as a Registrar".

Reading through the report it is clear that this a telling failing of management. For too long in all walks of life we have encountered people who cover their backs and say it was not their fault. Something as simple as checking references and not following up has ultimately had terrible consequences and rather than look at themselves it appears blame has been sought to be apportioned unfairly on the one person who appears to have acted properly throughout. In addition, throughout this time, lawyers have vilified his character in Court, and people, whoever they may be, have spread rumours through the community.

Equally, accredited reporting throughout the time seems to have taken as fact situations that evidently weren't fact but reported them as such without taking a balanced view.

I am also not sure why some States members referred to the release of the report as having been to bury it because of the short notice they were given to read it. It was available on the States website last night and readable within 4 hours or so, which I did. So it cannot be beyond States members surely, to read, to understand and to be able to have questions ready - or am I missing something.

Papal Intervention

Pope Benedict XVI has urged Bishops to stand up against the UK government equality bill.

Whilst I am not Catholic nor particularly religious it is perhaps a timely and common sense intervention.

Our politics, be they local or national, have become characterized by the apparent prevalence of bowing down to minorities or to unelected quangos without listening to the majority who go about their business sighing in resignation at the latest nonsense this call to common sense is perhaps no bad thing.

Cutting Costs

From today parking charges in Jersey have risen.

Does the States assembly and ministers in particular have it in them to start making cuts in departments that are not needed. Are they looking at management structures and waste.

As has been said before on these pages most workers in the private sector have to pay for their parking which cost has just been put up by TTS. No doubt sitting round a table was a minister, assistant minister and civil servants finding the easy way to raise costs. Well surely they all public employees should pay parking costs in the same way the general public pay either in States parking or in privately rented spaces.

Those that park at South Hill, at Schools and use parking facilities reserved for them through the Island and this at the same rate as the private sector pays for parking.