Firework report a 'waste of time'

HOME AFFAIRS and the Board of Industry have enough to do without preparing a report into firework misuse. The two bodies and their successors following changes to the machinery of government have been tasked with producing a report into whether legislation is necessary to curb the abuse of fireworks, following a successful requete lodged by Deputy Dave Barrett.

Home Affairs president Mike Torode opposed the requete, saying the consultative group set up in 2000 to look at the issue had been successful enough.

'At some stage the senior officers and maybe a couple of committee members of the Home Department and Commerce Department, who will have more than enough on their plates, will have half-a-dozen meetings and come up with a conclusion by September or October.

'They will take that to the States and I suspect that it will come to the same conclusion as the working party - that legislation is not necessary.'

Deputy Torode was criticised by Deputy Barrett, who said he found the Home Affairs president's view 'frankly surprising'.

'I wouldn't have said my response was particularly vociferous. I think his reaction is over the top but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it,' said Deputy Torode. 'My reaction was, do we really need two committees to sit down and work it out when we have gradually turned the screw and improved things?

'I think the work of the joint working party has been very good. It's achieved a lot and this is just more work.'

He also felt that, should legislation be recommended and introduced, it would be impractical for the police to enforce.

'People misusing fireworks have appeared before the courts on odd instances, but it's the policing of it that would be difficult.

'I don't think the fact that there's a law that says you can't have firework parties on any night other than 5 November or after a certain time will deter them.

'I have every sympathy with vulnerable people, particularly the elderly and animal owners. I have kept animals over the years but we have to be realistic about this and this is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.'