From Edward McGarragle.
MY recent cultural trips to Prague, Seville, Brussels, Eindhoven and Amsterdam have given me much satisfaction. The buildings and the streets, with their trees, floral baskets, greenery, well-kept cleanliness and condition are a pleasure to enjoy. The various authorities responsible are to be applauded.
I live in Havre des Pas, where the different periods of buildings, its special Esplanade and iconic Lido, are equal to any of the previously mentioned cities. The way the residents of Havre des Pas care for and maintain their properties and gardens is first-class.
Unfortunately, the public streets and lanes in the area have the charm of a third-world inner-city ghetto. The Jersey government has not provided one street tree, one street flower box or basket. The roads are potholed and unkempt. The diamond of Jersey Crown Lido needs to be completely updated; for instance the toilets close at 6pm, leaving residents and tourists bemused. The one and only speed/vandal camera does not work. Route du Fort car park had many trees. Everybody knows how good trees are for the environment, and mental and physical health. Over the years trees have fallen, but no trees have been replaced. Instead, Jersey authorities chose to build social-housing tower blocks for every fallen tree.
Over the years. Havre des Pas has been treated shamelessly by the rest of this Island. We have see the area used to build more than its fair share of much-needed social housing. Ugly eyesores, the power station, waste disposal incinerator and the Island’s rubbish dump have been imposed on our doorstep. Hotels have been bought by the States to temporarily house people in need. All this without any resident consultation.
If any other parish/district was treated in this way, there would be hell to pay. St Helier Town Hall had over 50 beautiful flower baskets around its exterior. It looked so good it is rumoured wheels are to be fitted and the building entered in next year’s Battle of Flowers.
The reason for this States vandalism is that elected politicians do not live in Havre des Pas. Do any States Members, decision-makers from Planning, senior civil servants, senior Island figures or media controllers or Andium bosses live here?
Is the reason no money is being spent because the States are waiting on global warming flooding Havre des Pas, thus saving more funds to be spent on hospital planning?
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