Message from the Connetable
Dear Parishioner,
I wrote a reply to the points made in the JEP on the 7th September which has also not been published so it would seem I have no right to reply.
In that publication was a paragraph about Donald Trump which my wife and I took exception to as it compared this man with her delightful Jersey Wonders and said he should come and stay in Grouville to make it ‘great again.’
At the same time as this edition of the JEP was being sold with this comment in it, a group of Community minded individuals were staging the Church Fayre at Les Pres Manor in aid of the Church itself. They raised a considerable amount of money (I will let them announce the actual figure themselves) and I would say that that makes Grouville GREAT.
That evening the Grouville Battle of Flowers team were being awarded 4 significant trophies including the Prix D’Excellence at the Royal Hotel. So well deserved and acknowledged by their peers after thousands of hours of dedicated work. Their exhibit was a magnificent float designed by Nick Parlett, a professional artist, who gives all his time for free as do many other local professionals and sponsors like 4Hire, Artisan Iron, Gell Electrics and others. That’s makes Grouville GREAT.
The beautiful views from the top of Queens Valley reservoir dam, the top of Le Catillion and Rue Jutize (and other places), over the whole Royal Bay, Mont Orgeuil Castle, Seymour Tower and the coast of France in the distance. That’s what makes Grouville GREAT. Watching our wonderful Honorary Police on duty at Gorey Fete, our Roads Inspectors calling in issues after a storm, Roads Committee members organising large projects and mucking in when required, our Rates Assessors busily working on their tasks, our Procureurs turning up to many meetings and supporting our Municipality at every turn. That’s what makes Grouville GREAT.
It is such a shame that a tiny minority of individuals do nothing but criticise instead of contributing in a positive way.
I also take exception to the Editor’s implication that our administration is ‘strangely secretive, unaccountable and dysfunctional’ and I think he should try and get a more balanced view in future and from a more informed source.
This implication reflected badly and upset our administration team at the Parish Hall. Our staff have been nothing short of incredibly professional in recent months when their compliment was reduced by 60%. The remaining team stepped up to fill in the gaps at a very busy time and yet were able to maintain an excellent service to our parishioners in answering emails and phone calls and face to face enquiries. This team are the beating heart of the Parish of Grouville, and they maintain my full support and admiration.
We always appreciate anyone who stands for office in the Parish as they are making a substantial personal commitment to their community. However, a very small minority of Parishioners in Grouville do make it difficult for themselves by waging vendettas against the Parish and its honorary services and are therefore far less likely to canvas support as a result. The anti-Parochial sentiments currently being expressed in the JEP is a clear example.
The JEP Parish Correspondent also advocates that Parish Assemblies need to be better attended but then goes on to support Proxy and Online voting which would almost certainly destroy attendance immediately and which I will oppose at every opportunity.
I would also like to congratulate the Rates Assessors who were successful in a majority of the Rates Appeals that were held recently. This clearly shows that an independent committee of knowledgeable individuals regard the rateable values within the Parish not to be out of kilter with the rest of the island. The Assessors are vindicated after a period of prolonged persecution by this minority. Many would have walked away after such abuse, but they have remained stoic and resolute in their support of their Parish. They have my utmost respect.
Someone said recently that they felt proud and privileged to live in Grouville, as do I, and I sincerely hope that you do to.
Mark Labey
Connetable of Grouville