IT IS not a criticism of the local media, but it’s difficult to get an overall picture of what the Island is like from local news reports.

Not surprisingly, the local news is full of problems, including overcrowding, damage to the environment, housing shortages, budget deficits, redundancie. It isn’t helped by some States members who see a conspiracy around every corner and believe that they are involved in some great class battle against the Island’s privileged, particularly the dreaded property developers.

I know that the editor of this newspaper is keen to publish good news when he can get it, but it’s obviously also important not to shy away from publishing the bad news.

So if you’re a regular listener to the radio moan-ins, for example, you tend to get a rather skewed view of what the Island is like.

That’s why it is always enlightening to hear and read what visiting journalists think of Jersey. It’s not always entirely accurate, of course, particularly if those journalists rely on information from disaffected politicians and critics who would love to see the Island damaged. But objective reporters are usually pretty impressed with what they see.

BBC TV’s Countryfile programme last Sunday was a shining example of that. It could have been produced by Jersey Tourism, as it painted such an interesting and flattering picture.

Not only will people in the UK be attracted by pictures of an Island full of resourceful people determined to maintain old traditions and crafts, but it should also make local viewers proud of being part of such a fascinating and often quirky community. It makes you realise that although Jersey has got its fair share of problems, it is still a fantastic place to live in. Don’t take my word for it. You can look at just about any measure you want, and you will invariably find that Jersey comes out better than the average.

There is more prosperity and less crime, social benefits are generally higher, schools are of a better standard than the UK average, health care is generally better, there are more charities ready to help the disadvantaged, and poverty in Jersey is a relative concept.

So why aren’t we happier? Although I haven’t carried out a scientific survey, it seems to me that the average Jerseyman is far less positive about life than the average Guernseyman.

That is a bit surprising when you consider their financial position, which is far more precarious than Jersey’s. They also have a States set-up which experts have concluded is hardly fit for purpose. But although there is a hard core of moaners in Guernsey, as there is in Jersey, generally speaking Guernsey people appear more content with their lot than Jersey people do.

Perhaps it’s because in the mad scramble for prosperity which both islands have experienced, Guernsey has managed to retain more of its local character and way of life. That’s got nothing to do with the environment and planning, nor the amount of countryside left for people to enjoy. If we were to use that measure, Jersey would come out on top by a large margin.

No, it’s more about attitudes and beliefs. Perhaps Jersey, with its bigger economy, can’t afford to live too much in the past and needs to constantly embrace change. The Guernseyman would certainly deny that he is against change, but he perhaps needs a little more convincing that it’s always for the best. The answer may be that he is probably more laid-back, to use the vernacular, and therefore a bit more positive about life.

So can Jersey learn anything from the Guernseyman? Far be it from me to suggest that we shouldn’t worry so much about material prosperity; after all, we have to constantly battle to grow our economy and earn a living in a cruel, competitive world.

We also have to continue to accept change, although we shouldn’t just change because outside experts tell us it’s a good idea. We should change when we are sure that it is right not just for the sake of it.

We should also understand that we are a tiny island that doesn’t necessarily need to follow what much larger communities do. Of course we have to aim for comparable standards, but sometimes the Jersey way is the best way. That means also that we should not always be on the defensive and rush to believe the worst. It is often not as bad as some people would have you believe.

For example, I will never forget the attitude of some obviously well-meaning Islanders during the Haut de la Garenne crisis. They appeared only too ready to believe the most extraordinary load of old nonsense that was being peddled to them by some parts of the media, one States Member and a couple of members of the constabulary.

So a little more pride in our Island would certainly make us all feel a lot happier. We definitely have much more to be proud of than most other communities, so as well as worrying about our deficiencies, we should celebrate our successes.

The answer may be that perhaps all we need is a little more pride in what the Countryfile programme called this ‘noble’ Island.

Peter Body is editor of Business Brief magazine