Following an incident in which a motorist accidentally struck a cat and then killed it to end its suffering, an online petition was set up calling for it to be made illegal to commit a ‘hit and run’ offence against a cat in Jersey.
The petition has received more than 4,000 signatures, and yesterday Deputy Peter McLinton asked the Transport Minister whether he would consider extending the law so that drivers must report accidents involving cats to the police, as is already the case with dogs.
Deputy Eddie Noel said that he understood the concerns of those supporting the petition and suggested that the Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004 should be reviewed.
He said: ‘It is this law that makes it a criminal offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal without reasonable cause.
‘The police are using these powers to investigate the incident that has led to this question and to the petition.
‘I would like to invite the Deputy and the organisers of the petition to a meeting with me, the Environment Minister and the States Vet to consider how the laws might be strengthened.’
The minister also said that it would be better to protect cats under animal welfare laws rather than road traffic laws, which dictate that accidents involving dogs and farm animals must be reported to the police.
He said this was the case because owners are not required to have a licence for cats, meaning they are not traceable, and are not expected to have the same level of control over them as with other animals.
Deputy Noel added that he believed accidents involving cats should be reported to the Animal Shelter or vets, not to the police.
Minister calls for action on phone roaming charges in EU
A UK regulator needs to help Jersey to secure a deal with Europe so that Islanders are not hit with large mobile phone bills while travelling in the EU, Assistant Economic Development Minister Philip Ozouf says.
He made the comment following a European decision last week to scrap roaming charges.JT, Sure and Airtel-Vodafone said that the landmark decision made by the European Parliament to abolish mobile phone data charges in EU countries by 15 June 2017 would not apply to Jersey because it is not part of Europe.
Roaming charges are added by mobile operators for calls, texts and internet browsing when phone users are abroad.
The EU decision means that UK holidaymakers who travel in Europe will pay the same price to use their mobiles as they would at home.
However, Islanders will still face roaming charges when abroad and visitors to the Island will also face the extra costs.
- Ten Members were missing at the start of Tuesdays States sitting.
- Chief Minister Ian Gorst and Deputy Anne Pryke were both out of the Island on States business and Senator Philip Ozouf was initially marked as out of the Island but arrived soon after roll call was taken.
- Deputies Kristina Moore and Richard Rondel were both ill.
- Senator Alan Maclean, Constables Simon Crowcroft and Deidre Mezbourian and Deputy Kevin Lewis were all absent without excuse; all but Mrs Mezbourian arrived in the Chamber soon after roll call.
- The Bailiff, William Bailhache, was presiding.
Answering a question from Deputy Sam Mézec during States questions yesterday, Senator Ozouf said that it was ‘a matter of importance’ to get the new rules to apply to Jersey.
‘This is a big issue that we will try our very best to find a solution for,’ he said.
However, he added: ‘We are not part of the EU. If we were, our minimum rate of VAT would be 15 per cent.
‘There are some advantages to being in the EU and some disadvantages.’
Senator Ozouf said that although it was easy to point a finger at the Island’s telecoms providers, ‘the right way to do this is to go directly to the regulator’.
He added that Jersey’s operators currently have to negotiate individually with European telecommunications operators on a case-by-case basis regarding roaming charges.
this area.’
‘There is a gap in the law and it’s a three-letter word – cat’
Deputy Montfort Tadier on why it is not currently required in law to report accidents involving cats to the police
‘Welfare is not just about doling out money – it is about doling out support, advice and guidance’
Constables’ Committee chairman Len Norman on welfare payments for vulnerable Islanders
‘It remains a viable project much needed by the Island’
Treasury Minister Alan Maclean on the Jersey International Finance Centre
Finance centre profits allow for inflation
A RECENTLY published valuation of the controversial Jersey International Finance Centre put the projected profits at £50 million higher than earlier forecasts because it includes inflation, the Treasury Minister told the States.
Senator Alan Maclean was answering a question yesterday from Deputy Jackie Hilton, who wanted to know why there was such a difference in the projected profits.
The news follows the publication last month of a report by property consultants DTZ, which concluded that nearly £100 million could be returned to the public following the completion of the project.
That figure is double previous estimates and flies in the face of a report out last week.
That report, by the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, followed an independent viability study by auditors EY which led the panel to conclude that it was ‘highly improbable’ that the finance centre would provide returns of £50 million, let alone the amount predicted by DTZ.
The minister explained that the difference was down to inflation, as the DTZ valuation was based on all buildings in the project being completed by 2026.
He also invited States Members to a briefing to explain the various valuations. ‘There have been a number of valuations over a period of time and that is confusing for Members and for the public as well,’ he said.
