Spending 'flair' has been crunched into submission

For some, it will be remembered as the month that Woolies lost its wonder after 99 years of pick ‘n’ mix. For many, it will be the month that African American Barack Obama and his family moved into the White House. And for some of us it will be recalled as the time of a momentous breakthrough in Island politics: the month when States politicians finally mentioned the words recession and Jersey in the same sentence.

A few months ago I would never have believed it could happen. There was no economic slowdown here, we were told categorically. The rest of the world might be gasping for green shoots, but not Jersey. Our finances were ‘in good health’ – so much so that they would prove to be practically recession-proof.

Since then the economic landscape has changed, and so have some of the politicians in office. And now they are talking about the States’ sacred cow: spending the savings built up over the past couple of boom years.

The fact that our political leaders have now ‘fessed up’ (not a phrase I would choose, but one that seems to be increasingly popular) is actually something to be grateful for.

Denying things never seems to me to be a particularly good idea, because if a problem is not admitted to in the first place nothing will ever be done to try and solve it. So now we all know that there’s a recession on, we can stop pretending that we have loadsamoney and take pride in saving our pennies. That’s quite a big step for a credit-dependent community to take, but it also spells freedom from all those marketing must-haves that have been enslaving our shopping habits for so long.

So hoorah – big-brand names are out of the supermarket trolley and ‘own brands’ are in; fancy vegetables in plastic wrapping are out and fresh veg from farm shops is in; expensive ready meals are out and cooking proper food is in; over-priced fashion is out and charity shops and alterations are in; gym subscriptions are out and walking in the fresh air is in; gas guzzlers out, budget cars in. Funtastic!

The danger is that this recession might go on a little longer than will be comfortable. But at least we will have saved a little more, and spent a little less, than we would have done if we had carried on in denial.

Sorry, but I find the idea of digital TV a real turn-off

AM I alone in being somewhat underwhelmed by the advent of digital-only television? Far from being wowed by the joyous whoops of our politicians, I find myself slightly narked that I will need to buy a black box costing ‘only’ £25 in order to gain access to the four main channels I am already receiving.

Granted, there will be the extra ‘free view’ channels, but am I in the minority in being singularly uninterested in reruns of 1980s sitcoms, How Clean Is Your House, Wife Swap USA, or Location Location and more Location?

I’m always a little sceptical when people start telling me what is good for me. You would expect the chap from Digital UK to be heralding the changes as ‘great news’ – it’s his livelihood, after all.

But according to the press release on the States website, our new Economic Development Minister, Alan Maclean, thinks the early dawn of the digital TV age is ‘great news’ as well. It isn’t that I’m a technological laggard: podcasts, darling, are my second name. But I have a feeling that the people who will be making most money out of this are the manufacturers of the ubiquitous digital boxes. Funnily enough, the States press release doesn’t mention these, not even once.

Tram systems work sur le continent, so why not here?

IT’S good to see that the Island’s only train service is back on the rails. After a baptism of humiliation last year – when, you may recall, Terry Le Train was made an example of by the tourism consultants commissioned by the States – the new Transport Minister, Mike Jackson, has shunted Monsieur Le Train firmly on the right track.

The consultants, who were trying to rebrand Jersey as a younger, hippier place to take short breaks, decided that a white open-sided train bumbling along the sea front was not chic enough for today’s sophisticated travellers. Maybe they were not aware that Le Train has numerous cousins in such prestigious French

resorts as Bayeux and, um, St Malo.

Anyhow, I’m very much in favour of trains in general and I quite like Monsieur Terry. On fine sunny mornings I can think of no better way to get to work than perched on a little wooden seat, with the sea breeze fanning my face and the sun rising over Elizabeth Castle.

I can think of better ways to get to work in the cold winter months, when the waves are doing a belter over the sea wall and a Force 8 is developing into a Force 9. I am one of those who would lobby for a tram system. It seems to work so well sur le continent, in small towns with undulating landscapes, particularly where there are just two or three routes, a lot of commuters at peak times and shoppers and visitors off-peak.

It would get people up to Fort Regent, as well as to St Aubin, in fine style. But we are told we can’t afford it, especially not during a recession. I do wonder whether they might be thinking of bringing back those cable cars that used to run from Snow Hill. Now that would really give the tourism consultants something to worry about…