ONE way or another, it has been a historic week. Here are the ten things we learnt:
1. Asian hornets are getting busy
When the above picture was featured in the JEP alongside the headline ‘Asian hornets build homes early as weather warms up’ it surely left Islanders fearing the worst – that the pesky insects have developed some rudimentary carpentry skills. But fear not – the nest is inside the shed. Apparently the recent warm weather has inspired them to build their homes earlier than usual this year – so keep a lookout.
2. A hole appeared on Mont Les Vaux – States workers are looking into it
St Aubin businesses were left counting the cost of an unexpected road closure after an old sewer finally gave up and caused a bit of the road to give way. Motorists were diverted and there were reports that some scooter riders were taking to the Railway Walk to avoid the diversion. Naughty, naughty.
3. Unruly children are causing mayhem at Cinq Chênes
Youngsters have been throwing rocks – and less-lethal eggs – at homes and generally being a nuisance. Their anti-social behaviour has got so bad that one resident described the estate as ‘like a war zone’, which is probably an exaggeration. But it does all sound like a bit of a mess.
4. Durrell have done a great job at helping to save the pygmy hog…
Another ten pygmy hogs have just been released into the wild by the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, set up by Durrell and other bodies to safeguard the future of the endangered species, which is native to India.
5… but a not-so-great job at keeping the lemurs contained
Five ring-tailed lemurs managed to escape from the Zoo last week and spent a few hours jumping around in gardens at Trinity. In the end they were lured back home with some food.
6. Documents linked to the Maxwell family were found in Jersey
Anything vaguely scandalous in the world of finance has a tendency to have some kind of link – no matter how tenuous – to Jersey. So it probably wasn’t much of a surprise when the Island was highlighted in a damning Miami Herald report after documents reportedly found in St John’s Manor linked a former local trust company to the family of Jeffrey Epstein’s long-time lover and sex trafficking co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
7. The Chief Minister has left the building
A few months ago, Chief Minister John Le Fondré confirmed he had no intention of standing for the top job in the new States Assembly. Which was fortunate, as the voters in Trinity, St Lawrence and St John had no intention of voting him in. The Senator was ousted this week in what turned out to be something of a bloodbath for the current government.
8. You can have an alliance of one, apparently
Only a few days ago we thought ‘Jersey Liberal Conservatives’ was the most confusing party name possible. Wrong. Now we have a party called Jersey Alliance… which has just one member. Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur is now the party’s sole politician. Unless anyone else wants to step forward and join… No? Thought not.
9. And it is possible to lose a one-horse race…
… as Deputy Kevin Lewis almost found out in the early hours of Thursday. The veteran politician scraped over the line and secured the Constable seat in St Saviour with 1,552 votes – but was very nearly beaten by ‘none of the above’, which polled an impressive 1,146. Is anyone else thinking that ‘none of the above’ should ask for a recount?
10… and we have a diverse States
More female Deputies than male. The first black States Member. The first Romanian States Member. If nothing else, the new States is going to result in a massive drop in sales of grey suits at Marks & Spencer. We now have the most diverse States Assembly ever. It was, without doubt, a Jersey election which actually brought about change. Who’d have thought it…