Who Pays the Ferryman?

"Trying to make things work in government is sometimes like trying to sew a button on a custard pie." (Hyman Rickover)

What will the outcome be? How will the vote go? The American Election?

No, the convoluted and mind-boggling slow decision making on a vote by Jersey's Council of Ministers to select a Ferry Operator - and make it look as if the Chief Officer didn't blow gaff on the intended firm when he voted online (and engaged one company on social media). 

If they come in favour of the Danish firm, it looks as if this was their intention all along, and they are just seeking good excuses to hide that fact. If they come in favour of Brittany Ferries, it looks as if they have given way to Guernsey.

And now, at the eleventh hour, they are thinking they can have a different operator (if they can justify it), and from Davy Jones Locker, I can hear the rattle of chains of Channel Island Ferries which metaphorically sank, apparently without trace, as no one has apparently read what happened when there were two operators. 

Maybe Kirsten Morel should borrow a copy of "Ferries of the Channel Islands: Past & Present" before the ghost of ferries past catches up with him.

The murmurings (don't expect details from the good Deputy) about "legal implications" and "legal advice needed" maybe suggest that some non-contractual but verbal "nod" had been given to the Danish firm, which is worrying. We still don't know the cost of the docking trials yet, and probably never will. If the bid is approved, it will be "commercially sensitive", if it fails, it will be available in the published States accounts (buried there in grouped figures, no doubt).

As for asking for extra details at the 11th hour, they've had at least from September, probably longer, to glean the necessary information.

And finally, we were told on Friday that a decision would be made on Monday. But of course, with this shambles, no decision has yet been made. When in 1907, there was a run on banks in the USA, JP Morgan summoned all the bankers to his residence, locked the doors, and wouldn't let them out until they had found a solution. Alas, the Minister is no J.P. Morgan. 

Meanwhile, tourists, tour operators, food companies, are all stuck in limbo, and if tourism takes a dive next year, we can know who to blame - the Minister for Economic Indecision.

The Gap in the Curtain

I pinched the title, but not the contents, of this poem from that wonderful spooky John Buchan book, which even though it has dated in some ways, is still wonderful to re-read. The poem is reflective of the Celtic festival of Samhain which passed earlier this week, and also uses a well-known hymn as the basis for its rhythmic schema.

The Gap in the Curtain

The veil so invisible
Known to the wise
In dark inaccessible
Hid from our eyes
But there ever glorious,
The parting of ways
Death comes, so victorious
The banshee we praise.

Dark wine is for tasting
The grail of the night
Drink deep, never wasting
It opens our sight
We can see the grey mountains
The borders above
And drink deep of such fountains
In mourning, we love.

The Cailleach in her glory
The goddess of night
Come let us adore thee
And open our sight
The veil we would render
And help us to see
The gap in the curtain
Where hideth does she

1974 - 50 Years Ago - November Part 1

1974 - 50 Years Ago - November Part 1

1 .Jersey resident Mr. Alan Harris announced his engagement to one of Britain’s top female tennis players, Miss Veronica Burton. Martyr mum Mrs. Michelle Perrée, the woman who refused to pay £6 in fines as a protest against “inadequate parking facilities” in the town began her mum-day jail sentence.

2.—-.-Last month 39 motorists were convicted at the Police Court for drunken driving; bringing the total for the first ten months of this year to 312, which was 42 more than in the same period last year.

4.-—It was announced that a pint of milk would go up from 8 ½ ip to 10p on December 1.

7.—The “ Jersey Evening Post’s ”' Hostess Seminar was held at the Hotel 'de France and over 600 women attended this very successful function. Guest speakers were Katie Boyle, flower display expert Julia Clements, and wonder-cook Marguerite Patten.

8.—Further damage to the reclamation site by last month’s stormy weather has forced the Dutch contractors, Ballast Nedam, to stop work on extending the outer arm or: the breakwater. Instead they will spend the winter trying .to catch up with the toe-wall and concrete cobs to give better protection to the new wall.

10 -A 606-lb. German anti-Shipping mine was safely blown up after a 40-hour drama. A giant crane, scooping the sea-bed at the La. Collette land reclamation site, had brought ashore the canister at 8.30 on Friday night.

12.—It was announced that the Establishment Committee, in conjunction with the States Postal Committee, had appointed Miss P. A. Egan to the post of Controller of Mails.

13.—Jersey's hoteliers and guest house keepers are now looking back on a season in which business turnover reached new records but high overheads cut into profits. But although unforeseen .price rises could not be offset by-raising charges mid-season,, profits have still been made, and there is no indication of • financial disasters within the hotel industry. • "

14.—Jersey's mail is to go 'metric' from September next year. The changeover will coincide with the UK Post Office's switch to grams, kilograms, millimetres and metres..

15:—The Jersey Licensed Victuallers Association are, putting 1p on tots of spirits and aperitifs, and 2p on soft drinks. The price increases are blamed on escalating costs in running a pub.

Lost Souls

This weekend I will be lighting a candle for loved ones lost, but I got to thinking about those who die alone, no family, no one to mourn. Who will light a candle for them?

Lost Souls

All Souls night, last days of Fall,
Lighting a candle, an act to recall:
Friends and family that we mourn,
Gone far from us, to distant bourne,
That tears apart life, ends in grief,
Blown off in gales, as a fallen leaf,
Vast ages past, but lives so short;
At the Grey Havens, a final port,
Before the journey, across a sea,
Memories fade, by small degree:
But names remain, the love we felt,
When in harmony together dwelt;
Yet what of those unknown, apart:
They died unloved, alone of heart;
Lost souls, graveside once so bare:
Only Priest and undertaker there;
So sad, so sad, that such came to be:
No loved ones mourn, no family;
We will call of names yet unknown:
Light a candle, make them known;
Remember them, in this our way:
When at All Souls, we come to pray.

Regional TV in 1978: Channel Television

Channel Television is the trading name of Channel Islands Communications (Television) Limited, which is a limited liability company registered in Jersey and is the programme contractor appointed by the Independent Broadcasting Authority for the Channel Islands.

Despite its small size, Channel Television produces an average of three-and-a-half hours of its own programmes each week in its studios in Jersey and Guernsey. Local news is clearly an important element and viewers in the Islands now enjoy an extra late-night bulletin as well as lunch-time news in English and a close-down bulletin and weather report in French. A weekly programme provides information about what's on and a short monthly parliamentary feature is produced. Events and topics of local interest are covered in greater depth in the twice-weekly Report at Six.

The Television Centre, ST HELIER, Jersey, Channel Islands
Tel: 0534 23451
Les Arcades, ST PETER PORT,
Guernsey, Channel Islands
Tel: 0481 23451

Directors. E D Collas (Chairman); K A Killip, OBE (Managing Director); E H Bod¬man; Harold Fielding; M Letto; G Le G Peek; A E O'D Troy; F H Walker.

Officers. Brian Turner (Operations Man¬ager); Phill Mottram Brown (Head of Sales); John Rothwell (Head of News and Features); Miss W M Fearon (Company Secretary).

Staff. The total staff of the company is 64.

Religious Advisory Committee. The Very Rev Tom Goss, Dean of Jersey (representing Anglican Church, Jersey); Rev D Mahy (Roman Catholic, Jersey); Rev Donald R Lee, MBE (Free Churches, Jersey); The Very Rev F W Cogman, Dean of Guernsey (representing Anglican Church, Guernsey); Rev B Fisher, MA (Roman Catholic Church, Guernsey); Rev K E Street (Free Church, Guernsey).

Programme Journal. Channel Television Times is published by Channel Islands Communications (Television) Ltd, and its editorial address is: Smith Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey.

Studios. JERSEY. Studio One 40 ft by 25 ft — three colour cameras equipped with ten to one zoom lenses, and normal sound facilities for television and film recording. Presentation Studio with colour camera. Two colour telecine units for 35mm, slide and 16mm projection with optical, mag¬netic and SEPMAG facilities. In addition one telecine unit equipped with `Coxbox' colour synthesiser for presentation and advertiser's slides.

GUERNSEY. Studio measuring 30 ft by 20 ft designed for live television usage and 16mm film production. A microwave link from Guernsey to Jersey provides for live television inserts from Guernsey into local programmes.

Film Facilities. Channel has two film units, one in Jersey and one in Guernsey. They are equipped with Arriflex 16 BL, Auricon 16mm Pro-600 and Bolex Reflex electrically driven hand-held-sound/silent cameras. Nagra full-track tape recorders equipped with Neopilot sync are used with the above cameras. The station is equipped with transfer facilities from Neopilot ÷ in. tape to double-headed working, using PAG magnetic film recorders. There is a pre¬view theatre equipped with a 16mm projector capable of showing COMOPT, COMMAG, SEPMAG and DUO-SEPMAG films, and a dubbing suite with commen¬tary recording booth. Channel also pro¬cesses and prints its own VNF Colour Film.

Programmes. Channel News, a ten-minute bulletin, transmitted at six o'clock on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday — a `hard news' look at the day's events, with filmed and live reports. Channel Lunchtime News, What's on Where and Weather, a twelve-minute bulletin and diary of events taking place in the Channel Islands, followed by a weather forecast and tidal information. The programme is trans-mitted live every weekday.

Report at Six, a 35-minute news and current affairs magazine, transmitted at 6p.m. on Tuesday and Friday. The programme includes full local news coverage, with an extended look at political affairs emanating from the four Channel Islands parliaments. Also included in Report at Six is 'Police File', a live five-minute insert on local crime, presented by a police officer.

Channel Late Night News and Weather, a three-minute round-up of the day's headlines, transmitted live immediately following News at Ten from ITN.

Channel News Headlines, a three-minute bulletin of local news and sports results at 6.10p.m. on Sundays.

Election Specials, Channel provides full coverage of elections for the island parliaments. These include The Hustings and Election Results. Today in the Guernsey States, a five-minute programme covering debate and the decisions made in the parliament's monthly sessions.

Reporting on the weekly meetings of the Jersey States is included in the Tuesday edition of Report at Six.

French speaking inhabitants are provided with several programmes in their own language live on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and Commentaires, a French language current affairs programme on Tuesday nights. Both programmes include a 'Bulletin Meteorologique', a French weather forecast.

Puffin's Birthday Greetings, a daily series of programmes in which Oscar Puffin, the station mascot, sends greetings to young viewers, helped by the duty announcer. On Saturday morning Oscar has his own ten-minute greetings programme, with cartoons.

Link Up, a monthly half-hour programme looking at Channel Islands' religious communities and the questions affecting them.

Jack Douglas at Home, a kitchen chat-show for men, with women in mind, hosted by the comedian and his wife, Susan, with recipes and tips from Jack's guests from the Channel Islands and the world of entertainment.

Channel Report Special, an occasional hour-long programme, designed to examine important island topics in depth. It is generally transmitted live with maxi-mum community participation, phone facilities and a studio audience.

Breakfast in the Ruins

Just past a year since conflict erupted in the Middle East and it is still not abating.

Breakfast in the Ruins

Gaza, one year on: began by a crime
Unexpected murder, hostages taken
Hamas attacks Israel: a clock’s chime
Marks hour when chaos was awaken

From hours to days, and days to weeks
Bombarding Gaza, and the children die
Occasional pauses, and highest peaks
As the turning world has gone awry

Breakfast in the ruins, early morning
Rubble around, a people displaced
Thunder clouds bring storm warning
Violence and fear are interlaced

Pray for these lands, O pray for peace
That the conflicts might one day cease

Two Appreciations from 1990 - Ken Webb and Christine White

Two appreciations from the JEP. On a personal note, Ken was the P.E. teacher at my schools Mandalay and VCP. I remember seeing him doing sports on Channel TV News. He came to work at the same accountancy firm, and we chatted over coffee and became friends.

In 1984, as a member of Mensa, Ken developed the magazine from the photocopied and stapled pages he inherited into a neat little piece of journalism, with a glossy cover, bound and stapled into a small booklet, and produced monthly by means of a photcopier and an Amstrad PCW512 - remember them? He was editor, and I was assistant editor.

Because contributions were exceedingly thin on the ground from the membership, Ken wrote additional material under his own name and the pseudonymn Charles Cabeldu, and I contributed extra essays and reviews under my own name and also the unlikely names of Matthew Shepard, Dr Gideon Fell (picnhed from the books John Dickson Car),  Una Nancy Owen (pinched from Agatha Christie's "And then there were none") and Magnus Riddolf (from a science fiction short story collection by Jack Vance)!

JEP Tuesday, 26 June, 1990

Appreciations: Mr Ken Webb

ONE of Jersey’s illustrious sons passed away last weekend.

Ken Webb was extremely well know not only in Jersey but also all over the Commonwealth for his knowledge of many sports.

Seventy-year-old Ken was educated at De La Salle College, and on leaving school he joined the staff of Lloyds Bank. In 1939 he joined the Royal Air Force, but was in Jersey on the day the Island became occupied, so he carried on working for Lloyds Bank both in Jersey and Guernsey.

Ken became engaged to Joan in 1940 and they were married in 1945. In 1946 he went into the , hotel business and in 1951 he decided to train as a schoolteacher, He then went to St Mary’s College, Oxford, and then to Loughborough. At the end of his training he commenced teaching at La Motte Street School, then moved on to Victoria College Prep.

Ken was a founder member of many clubs and organisations, including the Jersey Life Guards, the Jersey Rifle Association Supporters Club, and the Jersey Dinner Boxing Club. He was a trustee of Pisces Boxing Club, an instructor at Southhill Gymnasium, and also a world-class weightlifter.

But his ambition as a young man was the forming of the Jersey Commonwealth Games Association, which he accomplished in 1957. He then took the Jersey team to the next five Commonwealth Games as general team manager.

Ken was the editor of the Mensa magazine for the Channel Islands, and to add to his interests, he was also president of the Rozel Boatowners Association. He was responsible -for planning the course to be followed by Denize Le Pennec when she made the historic first-ever swim around Jersey.

But I feel that Ken will be remembered by many not for what he did for sport and other societies, but for the unselfish way which he always cared for, and about, others — especially youngsters who were not quite up to the standard required to pass exams. He was always available for extra tuition or if anybody needed advice of any sort; he always had time to listen to their problems, and always made time to help out no matter for whom or when.

Ken was also an accomplished musician; and played the piano, clarinet and saxophone in his younger days, and his love for jazz and classical music never left him, nor did his preciseness, politeness and consideration for others.

Joan has lost her partner of many years, and those who knew him have lost a very good friend and a true gentleman.

SJP

Appreciations: Mrs Christine White

CHRISTINE WHITE was born in Devon, and first became interested in the St John Ambulance Brigade when her father donated an ambulance to the local division. As no member was competent to drive this vehicle, Christine agreed to act as ambulance driver for the division. This led to her taking a first-aid course and becoming involved with the work of the Brigade.

After her marriage to David and the birth of her two daughters, a move to Jersey was made by the family, where her son was born.

Christine continued her work for the St John Ambulance and joined No 2 , Nursing Division, now known as Mountbatten Division.

But not satisfied with carrying out the duties of a nursing member she became a lay lecturer, and many people in the island owe their knowledge of first-aid to her. She will be sadly missed by all.

CAE