Monday 12 January 2009

Recent Funnies from Hansard

Just been reading Senator Paul Routier's replies on various subjects, when nominated for Education, and I'm not surprised he didn't get the post. It is stuffed full of the kind of verbiage that Jim Hacker would have made in Yes Minister. Here, for your delight, are a few snippets:

Senator P.F. Routier on Fort Regent:

Yes, I am very aware that Fort Regent's swimming pool is degrading.  I can recall going to the opening of the pool, well, the day before it opened was my wedding day and I recall having a chat with my best man in the pool and discussing things with him about the wedding.  Sorry, I am digressing.  But certainly we need to find a solution for the pool.  The reason we closed it: it was degrading and degrading and degrading.  I recognise the regeneration of Fort Regent is a high priority and obviously the pool will be part of that.

Senator P.F. Routier on Culture

When it was decided to include Education and Culture and Sport and Culture together, there was a big debate about that, whether that was the appropriate thing to do.  It was recognised that we needed to find a home for it.  But, as I said in my speech, I believe that culture is within us, it is here.  The whole Island is culture.

Senator P.F. Routier on Sport:

I always regret the way there has been a decline in the physical activity within schools.  It is something that I believe that encourages ... I am a team player.  I believe team sports are very good.  I believe competition is very good and I think it creates a person ... it gives them the fight to get on in life, to be able to take part in sport.  So, as far as I am concerned, I believe that we should try and get sport back into the curriculum. 

2 comments:

voiceforchildren said...

I think the beiggest puzzle is, how did James Reed get it?

TonyTheProf said...

Well having read Hansard as an impartial outsider who knows neither personally, my impression was that James Reed came over as having done his homework (alas not in the case of the interview he gave you, in which he had not been briefed and came over very poorly). In contrast, Paul Routier was full of vague statements like these, and clearly had only a little time to prepare for the new role that Terry thought he could get in for him. Also I think members were probably not impressed by the old pals act or first proposing James Reed, then dropping him in favour of a crony after a quiet chat with PR. If I was in the House, I would be disgusted with such behaviour and voted accordingly.