Comment: Politicians should leave the point-scoring to Jersey Reds

I mention this in light of this week’s report from a panel of scrutineering politicians who reckon the treasury minister’s funding plans for the new hospital don’t quite add up.

Senator Alan Maclean’s billion pound bet is that he can fund it all by taking out a £400,000,000 loan at rock bottom interest rates, fund the interest repayments (around £10,000,000 annually) through returns from investments in the rainy day fund, and then – after 40 years – there’ll be a hospital worth more than the original capital that’ll still be owed. If you squint and swallow a lot of fiscal assumptions, you can make that add up. If you add in a pot of contingency, factor in some extra unexpected costs, and then round things up you get to my guesstimate of £1,000,000,000.

The minister was in quite a hurry in January to get his money masterplan waved through in the States. Backbenchers thought differently and decided getting a second opinion would be wise.

And, so, here we are with that second opinion, which says the sums don’t add up, and that there could be an £8,000,000 annual hole in the finances.

What will happen when politicians reconvene to debate the debt? Goodness only knows. What we do know is that there is near-universal consensus over the need for a new hospital. I do, though, sense the debate over where it should be built is also coming back to life.

It means the whole shebang is, again, looking wobbly. A disagreement over how much it will cost and how it should be paid for… and an opportunity for those who think there are better places to build it than on the current site. It could get messy.

Now, more than ever, we need politicians who deal in facts and detail. We also need a treasury minister and a health minister absolutely on top of their briefs with ready answers. I hope, when they do debate this, they focus on what we need – which is a fit for purpose hospital – rather than revert to cheap point scoring. This is one that needs resolving. The more it drags on, the more it’ll cost, and the more we all lose confidence in the project.

We shall see!

While the hospital saga rumbles on, Jersey Rugby Club are in rude health.

There’s a Leicester City feel to things at the moment (the Leicester City of last season), and a real positivity about what the Reds are achieving in their British & Irish Cup campaign.

It’s against a backdrop of money worries for the club which were well documented at the back end of last year. But, curiously and reassuringly, we’ve seen the community of fans rally around their team, and indeed people across the Island who aren’t ardent supporters feeling an emotional investment in the side’s success.

I include myself in that.

I’ve only been to watch a game at St Peter twice, both of which I really enjoyed even if I didn’t quite understand everything that was going on. But seeing win after win, following the games on Twitter and then watching the highlights on the telly, has made me feel immensely proud of their achievements.

Fingers crossed there’s an open top bus tour with some silverware in the coming weeks.

And finally, a shameless plug for the return of The Durrells on ITV.

The promotional trails have begun airing and, following the success of last year’s episodes, let’s hope series two does just as well. It’ll be back on our telly later this month.

Corfu is the big winner of the drama – a shameless opportunity to show off the island’s glorious scenery.

But let’s also hope it results in a few more people learning about Gerald Durrell’s life and legacy, including setting up his beloved Jersey Zoo which, from this year, is finally called Jersey Zoo again.

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