From Barrie Bertram.
I WAS interested to read the letters under the heading ‘How to get teenagers off the streets? Give them things to do’ (JEP, 15 February). I think that I can bring some experience to the debate, for I was a teenager myself once.

The letter writers sought more facilities, such as an ice-rink, a fun house and other facilities where teenagers could congregate, and said that the States should spend the money for this. Such proposals founder on the rock of affordability. The States have a big enough financial black hole as it is, and such facilities would mean further digging to increase its size!

Similarly, although extra facilities would enhance the teenagers’ range of leisure choice, they ignore the economic fact that whether a teenager has a tanner, a tenner or a ton to spend each week, his or her purchasing power will largely remain unchanged and the box of popcorn will still cost £3.

In her response (JEP, 18 February), Shirley Costigan of the Jersey Youth Service highlighted the existence of 15 or more youth centres and projects in the Island.

She could have gone further by pointing out the many sports organisations that abound, groups that are involved in the performing and creative arts, numerous specialist societies, Scouting and Guiding and (at the risk of incurring an accusation from darkest Grouville of having a Prussian preoccupation) the Sea, Army and Air Cadet organisations.

There are plenty of other facilities that can be accessed, like Fort Regent, the parish halls, the excellent Library in Halkett Place, the Archive.

However, all that ignores the greatest facility that is available to teenagers, which is the Island itself. Everyone knows that the developers are champing at the bit to concrete the place from end to end, but unless they are given carte blanche, there is still more than enough that is beautiful, fascinating and interesting to explore, photograph or even paint.

As to the point of ‘give them things to do’, one must ask why? It presumes that teenagers lack the intellect and integrity to derive their own entertainment, and have to be spoon-fed.

Let them discover that not everything on their wish-list would be available, but with some lateral thinking there are a range of leisure interests that they can tap into, some of them costing far less than the infamous popcorn.