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5.18 Deputy T.M. Pitman of the Minister for Economic Development regarding anti-social behaviour directly under residents' apartment balconies and bedrooms at the Albert Quay:
Having worked in support of the residents at Albert Quay for over 10 months now and
residents having been promised that a solution was imminent before last Christmas,
would the Minister advise the Assembly when he will finally be in a position to put an
end to the anti-social behaviour they are experiencing by installing the agreed security
barrier to control late night access to the areas directly under residents' apartment balconies and bedrooms?
Senator P.F. Routier (Assistant Minister for Economic Development -
rapporteur):
I have spent some considerable time reviewing the effectiveness of a proposed barrier and regretfully it is unlikely that anti-social behaviour will be stopped or significantly reduced by having a barrier. Therefore I am not prepared to spend the excessive costs of providing a barrier and I am instead considering alternative methods of helping to address the situation. There is a social problem that needs to be dealt with in an appropriate way but I am afraid that a barrier is not that particular way.
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
Never mind the issue of the Minister having reneged on what he told the residents: no surprise there, I would suggest. I have been told, and I have it in an email, that costs could already be met from existing budgets. Clearly we have harbour security who do not do their job, do not get out of the car; the police seem little better. This has gone on for 3 years, 10 months since I have been involved. Will any Minister, particularly this one, sort it out?
Senator P.F. Routier:
I met with the police yesterday to discuss this matter which is of concern to myself and to some of the residents. I have to say that the number of complaints that the police reported to me yesterday were not significant. They do get more complaints from other areas of the Island than they are getting down at the harbour but certainly there is an issue that needs to be dealt with. We will be having another meeting on Friday with the residents to put forward other options to help to alleviate the problem but with regard to, I have to say, the extortionate costs of spending £70,000 on a barrier, that is totally inappropriate, especially in this time of C.S.R. I cannot justify spending £69,000 plus staffing to man the barrier which is totally out of proportion to the problem.
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
I do not know if the Minister is even in contact with his department but, as I said, it has already been stated quite clearly that the manning would come from within existing budgets, the costs could be met from existing budgets. The Minister told
residents this would happen, it was the best way forward. Now he is saying the exact opposite. Why and when is he going to take some action? What is the timescale, when will it happen? These people's lives are being made a misery by a Minister who is frankly incompetent.
Senator P.F. Routier:
I thank the Deputy for his compliment. [Laughter] From the meetings I have had
with the police only this week, we have agreed that placing a barrier is not going to solve the problem. It is not going to solve the problem of anti-social behaviour down at the harbour. There are other methods which we will be discussing with the residents on Friday of this week. I know the Deputy is coming along to that meeting and I am very pleased that he is able to come along. What I would suggest is that there are going to be options which are possible to help to alleviate the problem and one suggested to me by one resident is the possibility of some of the residents joining the honorary police. That would be a great help to solve the problem if the residents were to take it upon themselves to join the honorary police and to help to police the matter.