An expensive blow on their own trumpet

I am not sure if this maxim should apply to the public sector, but the States certainly seem to be doing their bit on the spending front. Last week, for instance, the Economic Development Department held a bit of an extravaganza at the Carbuncle hotel down at the waterfront (which I have to say is much nicer inside than outside, but that’s because it looks out over Elizabeth Castle).

I am not sure how much it costs to hire the room and facilities, but these things never come cheap and presumably, in these harder times, hotels are not giving away their services for free.

The States, of course, have their own ‘communications unit’, but Economic Development tend to prefer a local public relations company. In these difficult times, I would think that they expect to be paid for their services, too.

The title of the event was ‘celebrating our success’, which could have referred to the Island’s success. But it quickly became clear that it was the success of the States department that was the focus of the morning.

The speakers all had the same message: look how much we have done in the past year to help you.

One of their successes, we were told, was the appointment of staff to fill the former housing department building opposite the new tourism office. They were all there waiting to help us, we were told.

There were also some comments about the recession and I was waiting to hear about what they were planning to do. But the details were not yet available, they said.

In fact, at question time there was quite a lot that they didn’t seem to know. To be fair, no one can be blamed for not knowing for sure how much economic growth Jersey is expected to produce this year. Even seasoned analysts can’t agree about these things at the current time.

But I would have thought that having promised to present a case to the Council of Ministers for a ‘stimulus package’ from the stabilisation fund, the Minister for Economic Development, Senator Alan Maclean, should have some idea of how much money he is planning to ask for.

Of the 1,000 or more invited to this ‘communications event’ around 300 people had taken time out of their no doubt busy schedules to come along, and no doubt they were hoping to hear something new.

I asked someone afterwards what they had made of it all. ‘They just avoided the questions,’ came the reply.

The moral of the tale is that communications events should only be held when there is something concrete to communicate. Otherwise it becomes a States political broadcast – and a waste of public funds.

A FEW days later we were told that the tourism department, which of course is part of the Economic Development Department, could be moving back to its old site at Liberation Square.

This was not a new rumour, but it is nice to see that sometimes politicians can have the courage to reverse a decision which is patently not working.

Anyone walking past the old tourism building last summer would have realised that it is the most natural place for visitors to sit and enjoy a bit of sunshine, the Liberation statue, the sparkly fountain, and a creamy Jersey ice cream.

Anyone visiting the nice new tourism office at the other side of the nice new bus station would realise that there is something missing. Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice office. Round, and modern, and waiting to help you.

But it is quite a long walk from Liberation Square and people on holiday don’t want to walk past a bus station and an endless row of glass-fronted office blocks just to get a brochure or two.

Quite how much money will be wasted changing things back to the way they were is anyone’s guess. But no doubt there will be a communication about it.

THANK heavens that this week sees the end of the digging up of the roads around Trinity and St John.

Having spent a good 35 minutes trying to get from Five Oaks to Trinity Church the other day, via Rozel, may I suggest that next year (when it is bound to happen all over again) the powers that be might try to put themselves in the position of the poor motorist.

Signs that indicate which diversion is going where would be a start. Personally, I think Jersey Tourism were a bit slow off the mark: they could have marketed the whole road works as the Alternative Amaizin’ Maze and invited visitors to experience the wonders of Trinity, with prizes of a weekend for two in downtown St Helier for those who managed to find their way out.

I WENT to the cinema a few days ago. At least, I tried to go to the cinema. There were a couple of people I knew in the queue and we were all keen to see one of the latest releases, Slumdog Millionaire. Admittedly none of us had booked in advance; it was a Friday night and the start of half-term.

But most of the time, whenever I’ve been to the cinema in recent months, there have been maybe six or eight people in the audience. Not this time. Sold out, we were told. We didn’t fancy any of the other offerings, so we went home.

What a shame that we now have a monopoly cinema situation just at the time when people are beginning to want a cheaper night out. And what will they do with the old Odeon building, I wonder? Will it be a car park? Or will it be a block of flats? Or a shopping mall? Or a giant supermarket? A States department, even? – or how about a tourism office?