No compensation for Rocketman, says report
Tuesday 20th September 2011, 2:58PM BST.
Terry McDonald says that he has run up debts of nearly £100,000 because of the aborted rocket launch
NO compensation should be paid to ‘rocketman’ Terry McDonald over the aborted 2007 firework launch that has forced him to sell his house to cover mounting debts, a States report has concluded.
The 141-page report by the Home Affairs, Environment and Economic Development departments has found that the late cancellation of the attempt to win back Jersey’s world record for a simultaneous rocket launch at the end of the 2007 Battle of Flowers was down to Mr McDonald, not to them.
The launch was cancelled at the last minute over environmental concerns – but the report says that the Environment department had said the launch could have gone ahead without difficulty had ‘simple guidance’ been followed.
The report was put together after the States unanimously approved a proposition from Deputy Phil Rondel to ask the three departments to review what went wrong.
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Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to compensate him rather than commission a 141 page report, what did that cost?
I feel sorry for the bloke having to sell his house to cover debt incurred while attempting to achieve something that would raise Jersey’s profile.
It’s a shame he wasn’t the head of a states department and had lost millions and cocked up on a grand scale, he’d have got half a million.
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The States should hang their heads in shame!
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i can see a gunpowder plot on the horizon
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He should have sold his rockets just after. Not dispose of them after 5 years.
They say:
the launch could have gone ahead without difficulty had ‘simple guidance’ been followed.
I am not sure what “simple guidance” as to do with the fact that the rockets were going to pollute the sea. And a last minute cancellation for that reason is unacceptable.
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Disgusting.
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shocking! the states waste millions and this poor bloke has had to lose everything…
from 2007 to now – the states kicked this into the long grass and now the guy has lost his house….
shame on you! whoever supported this will need a lot of horlicks to sleep tonight i hope!
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Glad public money has not been used for compensation as well.
This dream was of interest to Mc Donald only he should have spent more time on his homework.
Should we taxpayers compensate every loser in the lottery of life?
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What if, what if, & what if? What if nobody dared to do such things; what if a Battle of Flowers competitor had their float go up in flames? The States would move Heaven and Earth for them.
To set the matter right we are talking about just £1 for everyone living here, let’s just sort the chap out and move on.
If we are all so worried about the environment we should turn off those pointless lights along the Front.
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Totally disgusted – more money has been spent on discussing the issue when they should have given him the £100,000. He should now let the rockets off on bonfire night and have a collection – I’m sure many people would give money to help him clear the debt he incurred.
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what a loser!
why didn’t he sell the rockets on in 2007? what was the logic in keeping them for years and then destroying them?
let’s just move on. this has taken up too much time already.
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I decided to hold a world record attempt at drinking pints of Liberation Ale and I’ve bought 100,000 pints of the stuff.
This will really raise Jersey’s profile, but unfortunately, people have advised me it would be pretty stupid due to health and safety concerns.
I have now cancelled, so will the States please give me all my money back, please?
Terry’s a nice chap, but HE came up with the scheme, decided to spend his own money and HE decided to cancel after advice from the authorities… Should every crackpot scheme that doesn’t pan out be paid for by the taxpayer? I think not…
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It’s still very unclear to me how this came about…? why would he pull the plug on his own mission…any one Know….was he spitting the dummy out or are the powers that be backpeddaling…?
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And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time
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Perhaps he should have stored them in the States Chamber!
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#11 “HE decided to cancel after advice from the authorities”
Hmmmm, I actually attended the meeting held at the Parish Hall ages ago and I don’t recall that being the case. Someone can technically be said to have ‘made a decision’ even when in reality their hand has been forced, they’ve been blackmailed, they’ve been bullied etc.
I certainly never got the impression he ‘made the decision’.
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Bl**dy fireworks.
Won’t be long before we have to endure a month of the damned things.
Thankfully the economic downturn is helping to reduce the number of morons who think that everyone else wants to celebrate their birthday late at night.
From the appearance of the nice red pointed ends, the rockets might be ideal for another use in relation to under performing politicians!
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