The douzaine has been focused on making the most of St Peter Port’s beauty since November 2024, when it decided on a comprehensive strategy to help town live up to its full potential for islanders and visitors.
‘We have focused not just on the traditional hedge, stream and quarry inspections but on scaffolding, litter, lights, including festoon and floral contributions,’ said St Peter Port douzenier and chief constable Diane Mitchell.
‘It is disheartening to see cigarette butts stubbed out in floral displays.
‘Town is the capital of our island and it’s essential to ensure it is a clean, tidy and welcoming place for islanders and visitors.’
As well as ensuring that the bus terminus is free of cigarette butts, the douzaine’s initiative has also seen the team clearing weeds and collecting rubbish from Tower Hill Steps and Corbin Steps.
But douzeniers’ efforts so far have amounted to little more than beheading the hydra, as Mrs Mitchell reported that the Corbin Steps were once more littered with ‘hundreds’ of cigarette butts only a day after their clean-up efforts.
Parish officials have made personal cigarette butt holders available to take home from the Constables’ Office in order to help solve the issue, and expressed some bewilderment on social media as to why the problem persists when bins are readily available.
‘We need to appeal to anyone who litters to take their litter home or find a proper bin,’ Mrs Mitchell said.
‘I’m sure there could be fines issued, but I’d prefer to foster a sense of responsibility in the general population.’
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