St. Aubin Is Not for Sale
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A Merry Christmas to all! www.labaguette.org.je THE OFFICIAL PARISH OF ST. BRELADE NEWSLETTER Edition 14 • Christmas 2010. Published by the Parish of St. Brelade, Jersey HAVE YOUR SAY Do you value the Parish and Santa clause! Honorary systems as part of The experts want to change our view of Father Christmas Island life? Do you value the A team of health experts have accused Santa of promoting obesity and drink-driving. They say a Island wide vote? fat, tipsy Father Christmas with no regard for On 12th October 2010, the States But consider. There will be no solid health and safety sends out the wrong message to passed a proposition to ask the bloc to prevent determined Deputies children and they want to give him a makeover. Privileges & Procedures Committee from removing the rest of the They propose a new image for Santa to ensure to commission legislation to remove Senators and from removing the that his influence on public health is a positive one 4 Senators and to lengthen the period Connétables and replacing the and say the tradition of leaving a glass of sherry of the Assembly to 4 years for all Connétables by 12 extra members, out for Santa could be seen to promote drink- categories of Member – Senators, one for each Parish. But the logical driving. ‘With a few billion houses to visit Santa Connétables and Deputies. Elections corollary to this is that there will be would soon be over the legal limit.’ will also be moved to May from 2015. complaints that the smaller country Other dangerous activities he is accused of In the short term this appears very Parishes are over represented. promoting include, speeding, disregard for the reasonable – fewer States members Logically, to deal with this there will Highway Code and extreme sports such as roof and the illusion of greater efficiency. be a combining of Parishes to form surfing and chimney jumping. They say: ‘Despite But is it? larger constituencies. Plus, if Connétables want to sit in the States, the risks of high-speed travel Santa is ‘never seen The Public have wanted to retain the they will have to fight a General wearing a seat belt or a helmet either’. Island wide vote, to retain the Election. The evidence provided reads: Connétables in the States and to So how does this agree with what Speeding: Taking time zones into account, Santa retain Parish representation. The the Public wants? has about 31 hours to deliver an estimated idea of a General Election has been 700million gifts on Christmas Eve. To accomplish very appealing with some support General Election achieved this, his sleigh would need to be travelling at just for a 4 year term. There are also Retain the Connetables gone under 1,600km (1,000 miles) a second. frequent cries for a reduction in the Parish representation gone number of States Members. But can Island wide mandate gone Obesity: If he visits 156million homes and has a we have all these at once? mince pie in each of them, Santa will consume Total number of States Members: 45 Up until now the combinations of 31billion calories – enough to keep him going for There are other implications. Those the various power blocs in the States the rest of his life! Connetables who are States have prevented a reduction in any Members will be paid a salary. How Drink-driving: Visiting households at a rate of class of members. Last week soon before those who either do not 1,400 per second, Santa would be over the legal virtually all States Members voted fight an election or who are defeated drink-drive limit in a flash if he downed a 25ml for a four year term of office. But in an election ask for a salary to run measure of sherry with each delivery. He would had they really thought it through? be more than 47million times over the limit by the the Parish? Will the Ratepayers end of the night. To compound this, the majority of agree to this? And goodbye to the the Assembly comprising most Honorary system. They also think that the usual mince pie left out Connetables, most Deputies and for him should be replaced with healthy celery or some Senators, voted to reduce the The proposition in the States merely carrot sticks and or no account should he climb number of Senators. asked Privileges and Procedures down a chimney without a fire extinguisher, a Committee to bring forward the safety harness or undertaking a risk assessment. Consider what the Public has been legislation. It is still possible to bring saying that it wants: They are further concerned that reindeer are amendments to that legislation and being mislead into thinking it’s all for the kids, General Election achieved it is possible for the Public to express when they are simply accessories to these Retain the Connetables achieved their views. offences. ‘Rudolf and his team should have a Parish representation retained What does St Brelade think? Island wide mandate reduced clause in their contract that would ensure that Write to: La Baguette, St. Brelade Santa observed all health a safety procedures Total number of States Members: 49 Parish Hall, Le Neuve Route, JE2 3BS failing which they could refuse to undertake their Looks good doesn’t it? or email: [email protected] Christmas duties.’ A Santa Clause, they say. St. Aubin is not for sale RECENT plans, unveiled by former politician Guy de Faye and architects BDK, to build an Current plans get a definite ‘thumbs down’, but underground car park, flats and office space on St Aubin reclaimed land, have been resoundly reclamation is seemingly back on the agenda rejected. And not just by parishioners. Connetable Mike Jackson and Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, have both said no to the plans, as have all the environmental groups, including Save our Shoreline and also the National Trust for Jersey. The majority of comments made in letters to the media and on various forums are also firmly in opposition and a petition has been launched by islanders against the proposed project which includes 600 parking spaces, 100 apartments and 60,000 sq. foot of ' office space. ' However, opinion on the issue of reclamation, rather than this latest proposed scheme, continues to be divided. A rather more modest scheme that would address the often heard ' ' criticism about lack of parking and amenity space in St. Aubin has less intense opposition. ‘I think if they were to build a nice park area or "#"$!&#! %! even an outdoor lido type area with extra parking, it would be great for the village’. Said one St. harbour, has been proposed as a RAMSAR site overcome that first. It is however the people of St. Aubin resident. claiming it to be important feeding ground for Aubin, residents and traders alike, and the affect Brent Geese. Again, controversy reigns. It is any proposal of this nature would have on Parish The St. Aubin Anti-Reclamation Group are counter-claimed that few have ever witnessed however fiercely against any sort of reclamation in general that would be my first concern and whosoever and their petition has also been feeding geese in this area nor have any priority.” Said Connetable Jackson. “The latest steadily collecting signatures. photographs ever been produced to provide plans are neither in keeping with, nor conducive conclusive evidence that they do. In 2008 a Parish Forum firmly rejected any idea to maintaining the unique atmosphere of St. of re-considering reclamation at St. Aubin for a “Land reclamation in a marine area would be Aubin which must be preserved at all costs - now period of at least 10 years. In the meantime, the contrary to the current Island Plan and and in the future.” He added. “St. Aubin is not for area between St. Aubin’s Fort, the shoreline and supporters of any scheme would need to sale to speculative developers or their consortia.” WIN a £100 Iceland Christmas Hamper in our competition page 7 Page 2 La Baguette. Christmas 2010 Connétable’s Christmas Message The Chefs’ report It is fitting that I take advantage in this, the last edition of La Baguette for 2010 to pass Measures to avoid a winter blunderland! on my thanks to all those who have once Gold top! by Centenier John Trafford , Chef de Police again given of their time and effort to assist me and the Parish in its various It’s official: St. Brelade is the best The real winter is almost upon adequate all round forward activities. us and nothing is worse than a view. Keep a can of de-icer European community in category car break down – especially in indoors (in case the car locks My ‘minders’ the two Procureurs de Bien the dark and blowing a hooley, freeze) and another one in the Public are always at hand and assist in the Following the Entente Florale international The judges St. Brelade laureate reads: or having an otherwise car. Wait for the engine to warm necessary decision making that takes avoidable collision. But there a up. Cold air on the screen is judges’ tour and inspection of the Parish in early St. Brelade is one of 12 parishes of Jersey. Led by place. It goes without saying that the August, it was simply a question of waiting to few measures you can take to useless; switch on front and rear the St Brelade in Bloom group, and supported by Honorary Police under the leadership of a learn of the outcome of many months of hard minimise either risk.