CHOW Xmas, politics, religion and drink - the essential mix for a reforming cocktail?

CHOW - Church House on a Wednesday - the spin-off discussion group from "Business Connect" hosted its final gathering of 2013 in a pub. It was very humorous and entertaining. Jokes were told, Food eaten and beer drunk. Hymns were sung.

What a pity that overtly political meetings cannot be similarly organised in Jersey - politics is fun.......

On the other hand the Xmas message so far as the Christian Church is concerned seems to this observer to become ever more confusing.
The antics of the Church Establishment and the raising of the independence flag over the Dean's activities become ever more bizarre by the day....

So here are a few words from Simon - a prominent supporter and organiser within the CHOW group - expressing his interpretation of the events of 2013.

He embraces the "political" side of the Church but whether this includes the intervention by the likes of  Senator Bailhache in the current "scandal" is not clear here. Perhaps a more sustained and targetted interview should be offered? Any volunteers from the Jersey Church to explain more fully what has been going on and what is proposed for the future?

And do any Jersey politicians have a word to express here on the role of the Church in Jersey and whether the Established C of E brand uniquely deserves funding from public revenues?

Volunteers should just make contact via the comment box....

Do you want Jersey Royal potatoes with your Xmas lunch? Hear what William Church has to say on the matter...

This interview with William Church of the Jersey Royal Company is a follow on from that posted here on 23 March this year.

Then the ground was waterlogged and today the fog was thick and as William Church explains this season was "not pretty" - farmers speak for miserable we suspect - as was last year's.

As before by the time you have watched this video your Jersey Royals will be boiled and ready to eat (about 21 minutes)...if you have any.

William does not want any political intervention and suggests that the growers will battle with the weather and the market to put the spuds into your cooking pot - but we are not so optimistic.

There did not seem to be much political clout at the recent farming conference (which William did not consider worth attending) so who will fight the corner of the industry is anybody's guess.

Sentiments that protect agriculture simply because the industry keeps the countryside looking green are wearing a bit thin - especially since the Green Zone is no longer sacred.

My views that the island population needs many thousands of new dwellings are not supported by those who are already housed thank you very much - but the reality for the 700 families on Deputy Green's urgent need for "social housing" list, or the unknown thousands seeking "affordable" accommodation in the private sector - not to mention the ever lasting 10,000 without housing quals.....


but its Xmas so let's not worry about all that....pass the mint sauce and tuck in...

see http://www.jerseyroyal.co.uk

for the company view on things or look at Jersey Royal Company on Youtube....

Sam Lally's seasonal interview update December 2013

Here (above) is the latest interview with Sam Lally.
This is the fourth such interview published here or on other blogs and we promised from the outset to follow his progress....

The godd news from Guernsey is that the States there has voted to accept the Disability Strategy for that Island (on 27 November).
This followed intense lobbying from the Guernsey Disability Alliance and the "We all matter,eh?" campaign which posted many short interviews with many people with "disabilities".

Sam is a pioneeer in Jersey because he willingly participates on this blog - but of course it should not be necessary. Our States Members will ignore this latest interview just as they have ignored the previous ones and just as they ignored Evelyn's posting here a couple of weeks ago...

Of course its not just States Memebers who are lacking - there are thousands of people in Jersey who have first hand experiemce of disability issues but still do very little to change things - as they are doing in Guernsey - by lobbying and campaigning.

Today the focus will be on the "Soup Kitchen" in the Royal Square and a large number of our elected reps will be warmed by their hot soups in exotic flavours - but the fact is that homelessness is a growing problem in Jersey and more and more people are calling upon the various shelters and charitable groups for help.

In a previous year we linked the demise of "Roseneath" which failed just before Xmas and the somewhat hypocritical purposes of the annual soup kitchen.
Well here we are again. Roseneath is about to re-open so we are told but at Scrutiny last week it was revealed that sixteen "homeless" youngsters appeared from nowhere when two others were found accommodation through a spin-off from the Health service. They will be too young for Roseneath and the whole question of mixing young people with adults was raised - but without any prospect of a solution.

Soup is not the solution . It might help to raise awareness for some but our States Members dragged out from discussing the Budget need to look at the fundamental social problems that Social Security and Health Departments are failing to address. The "get tough" Social Security Minister has lost his way on so many basic problems that affect people in the real world.

Sam Lally's progress is a useful monitor of that process but he seems remarkably reluctant to criticise......

Above are two of the previous Sam Lally interviews. Spot the differences...