We must find funds for sewers

Thursday 2nd July 2009, 3:00PM BST.

IT is no secret that States departmental budgets are being scrutinised with particular care in these difficult economic conditions.

In addition, projected budgetary deficits suggest that, for the foreseeable future, there will be precious little hard cash available for major public sector projects.

In spite of this gloomy scenario, there are projects which are so central to the health and welfare of Islanders that the money to undertake them must be found. Very near the top of the list of items in this category are works to ensure that our ageing sewers and other sewerage infrastructure do not degenerate to the point of collapse.

Transport and Technical Services Minister Mike Jackson revealed in the States this week that £200 million will have to be spent if that collapse is to be avoided. This bitter pill was sugared only marginally by the additional information that the expenditure can be spread over 20 years.

Mr Jackson also made it clear that the work that he and his advisers envisage will not be limited to the renovation, repair or replacement of the sewer network. It will also involve the sewerage works at Bellozanne, a system which is 50 years old and ‘creaking’.

Transport and Technical Services – and its predecessor, Public Works – have been described as the ‘poison chalice’ of Island political life. In part at least, this is because intractable problems have been handed on from administration to administration, together with the burden of blame for failing to get to grips with them.

Mr Jackson, of course, has a chance to buck the trend and to avoid the disasters which have plagued some of his forerunners, but he must also be wondering just what he has taken on. He might also be wondering why more attention was not paid to the upkeep of the sewerage system when, to use the famous phrase, the Island had ‘money coming out of its ears’.

There is recognition in the Strategic Plan that vital infrastructure – including the road network as well as sewers – has been neglected and that this neglect must now be rectified. It is clear that, in contrast to so much else in the plan, this is a promise that simply must be kept rather than a vague statement of what is broadly desirable.

States Members must, therefore, be prepared to support Mr Jackson and help him with the difficult task of solving inherited problems created by many years of irresponsible neglect and complacency by past generations of politicians.

1
Pip Clement

July 2, 2009 at 6:31 pm

When you start to think about the £370M deficit in the States’ Employees Pension Scheme, the £200M bill for the sewers, the fact that the island will need a new hospital in the near future, the huge sum that will have to be spent on the roads it puts the £500M Rainy Day Fund in perspective, particularly against a situation of structural deficits on the current account on the next few years.
Jersey politicians have been putting off a lot of unpleasant choices for a couple of decades now.
The only way to meet these costs will be by borrowing or PFI funding, expenditure cuts to find the cash or sharp rises in taxation.
There is a rocky road ahead!

Report abuse
2
Adrian

July 2, 2009 at 9:36 pm

You are right Pip there are going to be a lot of unhappy people in the near future, what with increasing taxes, the retirement age going up, more burocracy, more immigration, degraded environment, more pollution etc. Indeed the future is rosey when you are well set up for life or have red tinted glasses on.

If people are unhappy with the States now what will it be like in 10 years time?

As per the sewers the States should have sorted this out years ago, but gimicky things like steam clocks were prefered by those in charge. The chickens are well and truely going to come home to roost over the next few years. I am prepared for things to get much worse. However I expect the government to spin things in a positive light to make the medicine more palitable. I for one won’t be falling for it!

Report abuse