The Dangers of Demonisation

The issue of a provision for young people on the subject of a Waterfront Skateboard and Youth and Community Centre came up in the States recently. I quote below Jacqui Huet's impassioned plea for facilities for young people, and I have also selected from the debate two speeches by Frank Walker. The first was in response to a motion to "reference back" the debate so that it would not be voted on until another States sitting, and the second was before the final vote.

 

For those who have an idea of Frank Walker as Jersey's "bogeyman", it may come as a surprise how much effort he has put into this proposal, and how - unlike Philip Ozouf - he is concerned to support the proposition against the delaying tactics of Bob Hill. The final vote is also given, so that it can be seen who voted for this provision. It will be noted that the following members were missing, including Stuart Syvret:

 

       Senator Stuart Syvret – en défaut

       Connétable Thomas John du Feu of St. Peter – ill

       Deputy Peter Nicholas Troy of St. Brelade – ill

       Deputy Carolyn Fiona Labey of Grouville – en défaut

       Deputy John Alexander Nicholas Le Fondré of St. Lawrence – en défaut

       Deputy Shona Pitman of St. Helier – en défaut

 

For the full debate, see:

http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/hansard/43148-12435-632008.htm

 

 

Deputy J.J. Huet of St. Helier.

We have 10 St. Helier Deputies and a St. Helier Constable that lives in the Parish and we have some of our Senators that live in St. Helier and they - except for one Deputy of St. Helier- are well aware, I think, that our children for a long time had no space about, i.e. be it to mooch or whatever teenagers do which we have all had I think at some time or another.  I think this is long, long outstanding, and it is for a long time we have tried site after site after site and each time there is an excuse, an excuse, an excuse.  Usually the excuses are noise, and you have to be fair if it is close to an elderly folks' home, or people where they live on a continuous… but this is not one of those sites.  The reason against this site as far as I can see is cash.  That is solely all it is.  It is way out from anywhere else.  It is not going to affect people that live around it, and it is central and this is what we need.  Can I please ask, please, please, let our children have somewhere.  The children of St. Helier are a lot more confined, dare I say, than if you are lucky enough to live in the Parishes and have a lot more space and that to roam and a lot more freedom, I might say.  You are very, very restricted in St. Helier.  We have very few spaces like this that are always moving our children on because they are causing a disturbance to somebody.  This is a place that they would not be causing a disturbance to somebody, and I please ask you to finally give our kiddies somewhere to have for themselves.

 

Senator F.H. Walker:

I have been supporting and working to an extent alongside Deputy Fox and Deputy Gorst in all the incredibly hard work they have put into this over many months.  They have, I think, left no stone unturned in trying to find a site for a skateboard park.  They and I have been frustrated time and time again.  I have to say I am frustrated again this morning.  Honestly, what sort of Assembly are we when we cannot take a decision on something like the location of a skateboard park?  The last thing we need is a reference back.  We need to take a decision.  This is just fiddling around at the edges and I am very sad that the Deputy of St. Martin brought the proposition.  Sir, Deputy Fox, Deputy Gorst and others have investigated other sites, they have come to the conclusion and they have provided the information to support that conclusion that this site, although I accept not ideal, is the only chance we have got to provide a skateboard facility in the foreseeable future for our young people.  So let us not delay any longer, let us get on with it, let us vote for or against, but for goodness sake let us not go back over the same thing again and agree to this reference back.  In my view it should not have been brought and I hope it is comprehensively thrown out.

 

Senator F.H. Walker:

I will not repeat what I said and what many other Members have said in the last debate but much of the debate has centred around other sites.  Well, following the meeting that I had with the Assistant Minister for Economic Development on Friday, I contacted the Property Services Department and asked them for a list of the potential alternative sites and I was given this late on Monday.  There are 6 potential sites that have been identified, but they have all been looked at already and all dismissed for one reason or another.  So there is no other potential site to provide this facility that anyone is aware of in the short term.  Sir, I am under no doubt at all that if we do not vote in favour of this proposition, we will be ensuring that there will be no skateboard park for our young people for a considerable time to come.  Now, I do echo the comments, I think, of the Constable of St. Helier and one or 2 others that if we vote yes, then that might encourage the opponents of this particular site to work their socks off basically to find a better alternative if, indeed, one can be found within a reasonable timescale.  That is a good motivation, I think, if we vote yes.  One way or another, we will get a site.  If we vote no, we will not get a site and it is really as simple, I think, as that.  I do accept and I am saddened that Harbours have come in for quite such a battering in the debate although I do accept that their concerns are genuine.  I am not sure that all of them necessarily stack-up but I believe they do have bottom line concerns which are genuine.  Sadly, for whatever reason, they have come through too late and there was every opportunity prior to us receiving the sheets we did yesterday for that information to come through.  Although I acknowledge their concerns, I do think that we have to proceed.  It is not an ideal site, but I think we have to proceed.  When I made my statement that this was the site for the park, it was on the clear understanding that it had the unanimous support of all parties involved, including Economic Development.  I am saddened that although Deputy Maclean did ask me to add a caveat to my statement, which I did, which was that we needed more information from Harbours, that was the strength of any comment that was made and, despite a number of meetings involving all relevant parties, there was no indication of opposition.  So, Sir, not an ideal site but I really think the choice is do we go here or do we go nowhere and I urge the House to support Deputy Fox and commend Deputy Fox for the incredibly hard work he has put into trying to achieve this result and in coming forward with this proposition.  [Approbation]

The Deputy of St. Martin:

Could I ask the Chief Minister, that bearing in mind this request is to go to the Council of Ministers, has this proposition been considered by the Council of Ministers and have they got the support of the Council of Ministers?

Senator F.H. Walker:

It has not and in all honesty I do not think it is in any way necessary for it to do so

The Voting on the skateboard park:

 

POUR: 26		CONTRE: 11		ABSTAIN: 6
Senator F.H. Walker		Senator L. Norman		Senator T.A. Le Sueur
Senator P.F. Routier		Senator P.F.C. Ozouf		Senator F.E. Cohen
Senator M.E. Vibert		Senator T.J. Le Main		Connétable of Trinity
Senator B.E. Shenton		Connétable of St. Lawrence		Deputy G.C.L. Baudains (C)
Senator J.L. Perchard		Connétable of Grouville		Deputy of Trinity
Connétable of St. Ouen		Connétable of St. Brelade		Deputy of St. Mary
Connétable of St. Mary		Connétable of St. Martin
Connétable of St. Clement		Connétable of St. John
Connétable of St. Helier		Deputy S.S.P.A. Power (B)
Deputy R.C. Duhamel (S)		Deputy A.J.D. Maclean (H)
Deputy A. Breckon (S)		Deputy K.C. Lewis (S)
Deputy J.J. Huet (H)
Deputy of St. Martin
Deputy C.J. Scott Warren (S)
Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier (S)
Deputy J.B. Fox (H)
Deputy J.A. Martin (H)
Deputy G.P. Southern (H)
Deputy S.C. Ferguson (B)
Deputy of St. Ouen
Deputy J.A. Hilton (H)
Deputy G.W.J. de Faye (H)
Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire (H)
Deputy D.W. Mezbourian (L)
Deputy of St. John
Deputy I.J. Gorst (C)