Don't clutter our capital with truck-loads of expensive waste
IN THE Press in the past week one of our esteemed deputies was quoted as saying 'any sensible person', meaning that anyone not agreeing with the States is not sensible. Another deputy deplored the low attendance at a deputy and douzaine surgery [on the waste strategy]. And a third commented that douzaines do not want to lose their raison d'être – which would be the effect of handing over rubbish collections to the States. Three comments from men who are paid to do the will of the people, but who are hell-bent on spending millions on projects that, in many people's opinion, are nonsensical. We are told that we have no alternative but to accept the plan devised piecemeal by the last States, which, let us remind them, was voted the worst in the history of Guernsey. Of course, this States is making a bid for the title – almost a year in and they have rubber-stamped decisions made that the electorate wanted reversed.
The waste 'plan', because this States has accepted the ideological ideal that we cannot continue to landfill – we 'must' export waste. To export the waste we 'must' pay £30m., but that's OK because it is capital expenditure and that doesn't count. Why can't they engage brain – do we really require an immediate solution? The current tip must have at least a year left – in which time find another quarry for a limited time. Build a small incinerator – not on the reclaimed land in St Sampson's but away from sight, maybe near the existing tip where there is an untapped source of methane gas which could fuel the incinerator. Perhaps this small incinerator could also produce electricity cheaply – wouldn't that be nice? Again, a sorting plant close to the tip and new incinerator – not in front of the most travelled seaway into our beautiful town. In the interim we could send rubbish not otherwise sold to Jersey. It would not need to be sorted in an expensive plant and could be shipped out of our commercial port – St Sampson's. This would also save our Town from having huge numbers of trucks travelling between St Sampson's and St Peter Port. It would also save our Town from the smells which would undoubtedly emanate from the containers full of putrid rubbish waiting to be shipped to the UK and onwards to Sweden.
Cons? The only one is the States' desire to spend our money and ship to Sweden.
The pros? We don't clutter our capital with truck-loads or containers full of waste. We don't spoil St Sampson's by building a huge processing plant. We don't spend £30m.-plus. We don't have to spend a vast amount loading containers with waste and then more fuel and time taking them to the wrong port.
As to the low attendance at the surgery: Do the people not care? or do the people not care to speak to two deputies who have already decided that anyone not for them and their plans is just plain stupid? Deputy Joe Mooney aside, the two other deputies at the surgery will argue their point and not give anyone the courtesy of listening to a point of view that contradicts their own opinion.
The constables and douzaine of St Peter Port manage waste collection in the Town and do not charge out their time. Take it away and you'd have to hire at least two civil servants to do the job – and they'd be sure to make mistakes for the first few months when they don't really know what they are doing. You'd have to have a phone line and a telephonist (another civil servant) to answer the phone when we call to say that our rubbish hasn't been collected. Of course the civil servant wouldn't know why not or who to call. All island collections by workers employed by the States – of course they all have mobile phones – but which one was doing that particular round that day? You can imagine the joy of that – far from taking away the raison d'être of the douzaine, you'd be employing tens of extra personnel and you'd better believe that it wouldn't be free. Of course the rates would go down... Or would they?
Is this States the one that will prove, once and for all, that once elected politicians do what they will and not what the electorate wants? I think we need a States of Deliberation who will look after our money as if it were their own, invest in absolutely essential capital expenditure. Look after the people rather than their own self-aggrandisement. Stop giving excuses on why they can't do their duty and attend meetings out of hours – and finally investigate and prosecute malfeasance, wherever it occurs.
We want a States that resonates care for the community, votes with integrity for the good of the island and stops wasting their time and our money.
ROSIE HENDERSON,
Ma Carriere, GY1 2AN.
