From Chris Fairbairn.
POSSIBLY the only positive thing to emerge from the recent conflict between the beleaguered Jersey Harbours and the strength of feeling of the boat owners of St Helier over the flooding of the Old Harbour was the intervention of the Economic Minister, as reported in the JEP on 5 February.

A review of the media coverage of this sad affair over the last months reveals serious failings by Jersey Harbours, who certainly won’t be nominated for the 2010 Good Listening Awards.

Indeed, many believe that those responsible should be sanctioned for such a shoddy and unprofessional piece of work. Unsurprisingly, the trust between this particular States department and boat owners has been shaky for some years, as the columns of the JEP recorded back in 2007.

The well-documented handling of lease agreement over the premises of St Helier Yacht Club by its landlords, Jersey Harbours, was, to say the least, catastrophic as far as a demonstration of the department’s communications skills was concerned (not wholly dissimilar, many now say, to its handling of the recent communication disaster over the future of the Old Harbour).

It now appears that the same team at Jersey Harbours handled both.

The other common thread in both of these cases was the intervention of the minister. His move on this occasion was possibly to prevent a more bloody battle between his civil servants and boat owners, and I guess, to avoid any possible repercussions between their combined number, which totals well over 4,000, at any forthcoming political selection.

Not the best choice of angry people to mess with one supposes, when political aspirations are at stake.

Surely Jersey Harbours must now honestly strive to restore the trust they have clearly lost with those customers. It will not be an easy task, but it is one that is long overdue. I am assured that the boat owners will play their part, too.

Equally important would be a promise from the minister that the Old Harbour will remain as it currently is – as the last historical commercial drying harbour in Jersey and home to 450 boat owners, a reminder of our maritime trading past on one hand, and an affordable future home for those taking up the Island’s maritime heritage of going to sea on the other.

Continuing to use the Old Harbour, and indeed other St Helier leisure harbours in a speculative property football game played by WEB and its political allies can only bring renewed confrontation. Let us hope not. We shall see.