Former St John Deputy Phil Rondel says the Jersey Independent Voluntary Lifeboat Service is in talks with French and UK authorities about sourcing an interim vessel to use until it has raised the cash to buy its own permanent lifeboat.
Meanwhile, the names behind the group’s committee have been revealed. Mr Rondel is chairing it alongside funeral director and the former crew’s spokesman Paul Battrick.
Former St Helier coxswain Andy Hibbs and his partner Anna Davies are also involved, as is Senator Sarah Ferguson, long-distance swimmer Sally Minty-Gravett and fishmonger Vicky Boarder.
Founders of the political lobby group the Jersey Action Group John Baker and former States Member Sean Power are also on the committee, together with former St Helier crew member Robin Ovenden, jeweller Rachael Fay and Annalisa Bale.
‘This is happening and Jersey will get its independent crew,’ Mr Rondel said.
The JIVLS has now launched a petition calling on the States to back a new independent station.
In a statement the committee says it is ‘essential that there should be an all-weather lifeboat service following the closure of the RNLI station and we intend to set up an independent Jersey station which belongs to the Island’.
Last week the RNLI closed the St Helier station, disbanded the crew and took the Island’s only all-weather lifeboat to Poole. It followed an announcement by the station’s volunteers that they wanted to set up an independent station after its relationship with the charity became untenable following disagreements, including over how they say Mr Hibbs was treated by the charity.
The RNLI has vowed to find another crew to man their inshore and all-weather vessel from the St Helier station and says it has already had 12 people come forward to volunteer.
Asked if Jersey needed two St Helier stations and how, logistically, it would work, Mr Rondel said he hoped the RNLI would eventually abandon its lifeboat operation in the town.
He said: ‘We can have two but I would like to think with time common sense will prevail. There might be two lifeboats in the short term but in the long term, we hope, there will be a solo independent lifeboat service for Jersey.
‘I am hoping that they [the RNLI] will see how dedicated the new crew will be to do a proper job.’
Mr Rondel acknowledged the task ahead of them was ‘absolutely huge’ but added that they were already well on their way to establishing a charity.
‘We had a meeting on Tuesday with the lifeboat crew and [Environment Minister] Steve Luce, Senator Sarah Ferguson, the Harbourmaster and Coastguard and we all listened to both sides.
‘We were given an excellent presentation by the crew on the way forward. I have seen many hundreds of presentations in my time in government and this was in the top five per cent for perfection and covering every angle. It was really professional.’
The JIVLS is due to hold a public meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday at 7 pm. Further meetings are then scheduled for St John’s Parish Hall on Thursday at 7 pm and St Peter’s Community Centre on Tuesday 5 December at 8 pm.
‘The most important thing now is getting the public along to these meetings,’ he added.
