Island's leaders have left us in a mess
I AM writing this letter to vent a few personal views, especially before the island goes out to vote. I urge all who are going to venture out to vote to really consider what mess our island is in especially after the last four years of leadership. What a legacy they have left us. Far too much to put into print. We have been taxed more than the Sheriff of Nottingham did to the people of Sherwood and we have no Robin Hood to save us. Mind you, I would not put it past some candidates to turn up in green tights with a bow and arrow.
Be careful where you put your cross and remember you do not need to use all of them.
At least the current deputies have made the way clear for the next lot to get a good pay rise. Ah, and given the self-employed milkmen a nice nest egg.
The Condor situation is farcical. Easy answer to this, put a conventional ferry and the Liberation on at the same time. One to the UK from here and the other to the UK from Jersey and the next day alternate it so each island has a fast ferry day and a conventional ferry day.
Aurigny's and Blue Islands' charges are going out the window even when booking well in advance, I have just checked the price to fly out to Gatwick on the last flight on Friday 2 September and returning on the last flight on Sunday 4 at a cost of £151 each.
Our sea defences are in a mess, especially L'Ancresse. I cannot see the problem with repairing this with all our modern equipment. Let's face it, the Germans were only here for five years and built loads of concrete creations and we are struggling to repair a small section of wall. They should have asked Lagan to fix it while here as they had their own concrete-making machine and would have been cheaper than the local firms.
Our harbour is another money pit with managers managing managers and all the associated cost and changes to accommodate the cruise ship passengers. Never mind, at least they can shop on a Sunday, well sort of, as most of the town shops do not open.
It is time our airport followed Jersey's lead and operated an open skies policy and let anyone in who wants to fly in. If they had done this before purchasing Aurigny the island could have saved the cash that has been used to buy the airline and bail it out of debt.
Also if the open sky policy had been done our tourist trade would be a lot better.
Traffic is a problem and it is about time the Environment Department realised that filters do not actually work and the small roundabout at the Red Lion is a mistake – time for traffic lights so we all can get an equal turn to escape out of the Bouet.
Finally, while mentioning the Bouet, they have built loads of housing for the old and infirm at Hougue a Le Perre and the old Bouet estate site also around Ivy Castle, now they want to build more at the old Warry's site.
I have a question to the brains that planned all this. If you are walking or in a wheelchair, how do you get from let's say Warry's to Town?
By this I mean where do you cross the road? Yes, there is a crossing at the top of Victoria Avenue but no pavement on the building side of the road past the Red Lion.
There is also a crossing at Elizabeth Avenue but again no pavement from the old bus sheds to Carey Olsen's building.
I suggest one of the planners tries it walking or in a wheelchair and see what I mean.
newliberation@cwgsy.net
