Latest news with #InnaGardiner
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Cowardly politicians' blamed for Jersey tenancy law delay
A States minister has blamed "cowardly politicians" for delaying a vote on whether to change the island's rental tenancy Sam Mezec, the housing minister, brought forward plans to improve protections for landlords and tenants including limiting rent increases to 5%.Politicians were due to vote on the principle of whether the law should be changed, with details of what the law would look like being debated in Wednesday, States members voted to refer back the plans to the housing scrutiny panel as they felt they couldn't make an informed decision. Deputy Inna Gardiner called for the proposed changes to be referred back to the panel and said politicians were unclear on what they could and couldn't said: "It was really, really not clear what the members were deciding on when discussing the principles, and members said during their speeches that the scrutiny report with evidence would help them make informed discussions."In September we will have one debate, principles, second reading, third reading, with all possible amendments and input from the scrutiny panel, so the members can have a clear picture of what it means in practice." Mezec said the delay was down to "cowardly politicians" playing "dirty tricks."He said: "Members were too cowardly to decide one way or another to decide which way they wanted to go, so they decided to delay making a decision until after the summer instead."I knew there would be dirty tricks pulled. This is what happens when you have politicians who don't have the courage of their convictions, I think the public will be in despair watching this kind of thing."He added: "What this means is there is a summer break where myself and my officers will be in union street working trying to make the best of this situation when its entirely possible in the summer that these people will vote the whole thing out anyway, in which case we would have wasted summer."It's another example of government working inefficiently because of bad decisions made by States members."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Work under way to reclass chemical found in cannabis
A proposed law change could see a chemical found in cannabis products reclassed as a Class B Tom Binet, minister for Health and Care, said the Misuse of Drugs Advisory Council had advised "Cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives be rescheduled from Class A to Class B within the Misuse of Drugs (Jersey) Law 1978".He was answering a written question by Deputy Inna Gardiner who was following up on a 2024 call for the decriminalisation of cannabis use. Binet said moves to make reclassification possible "were issued on 12 May".Cannabinol can be found in products like cannabis oil, which is used by some people who say it manages pain and improves sleep. "Law drafting is under way and is currently envisaged that the draft Amendment Order will be finalised later this summer," Binet added."Conversations with stakeholders regarding the operational actions required by the reclassification are also under way and progressing well."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Minister says Victorian marine lake repairs 'uneconomical'
The future of a marine lake built to mark the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria is in doubt after the minister responsible labelled it a "diminishing requirement".Victoria Marine Lake on St Helier's waterfront was marked as needing "comprehensive work" after an inspection last year, a decade on from a £300k repair in 2014. A written question was submitted earlier this month by Deputy Inna Gardiner, who asked for details on how the pool would be maintained and kept safe in the response, Constable Andy Jehan, minister for infrastructure, said plans to improve sea defences in the area meant it would be "uneconomical to repair the marine lake". "Given the exciting plans under development for the waterfront and the need to improve shoreline management and coastal defence, it is anticipated that there will be a diminishing requirement for this feature," he well as highlighting repairs made to the lake's retaining wall in January, Constable Jehan referenced the £356,000 work done at Havre des Pas."It should be noted that there has been a considerable investment in the Havre des Pas pool wall and sluices to provide the facility for sea swimming at low tide, the function originally conceived for the marine lake."
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Plan to help Jersey's ageing population proposed
Calls have been made to improve planning policies to help Jersey's ageing Inna Gardiner has lodged a proposition to create an "age-friendly infrastructure framework" to adapt planning standards to help elderly said the framework would have age-inclusive planning guidance, improve public transport accessibility and promote "10-minute neighbourhoods" to keep GPs, pharmacies, shops and parks within walking said the island faced a "profound demographic shift" with Statistics Jersey suggesting the older population was expected to increase rapidly over the next 20-30 years. 'Rare opportunity' The proposition also calls for a commitment to developing anti-slip pavements, doorways without steps and more public toilets and sheltered said she felt the island's infrastructure and planning policies needed to adapt."This [framework] gives Jersey a rare opportunity to plan ahead to adapt our public spaces, transport networks, and services before they become inadequate," she added."Failure to do so will increase long-term dependency, health and care costs, and social isolation among older islanders."The earliest date for debate of the proposition at the States Assembly is 8 July.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Compensation calls for Blue Island passengers
Deputy Inna Gardiner has called for passengers impacted by Blue Islands flight delays and cancellations to get compensation. Passengers travelling by Blue Islands have faced recent disruption with some islanders missing medical appointments in Southampton because of cancellations. The airline removed 28 flights from its summer schedule due to one aircraft being damaged and another new addition to its fleet being delayed. Economic Development Minister Deputy Kirsten Morel acknowledged the airline had not been performing well enough but said a compensation scheme could make flight routes less viable. Deputy Gardiner told the BBC that islanders could not continue to pay for delays and cancellations. She said: "I would encourage the minister for sustainable economic development and the consumer council to get together to find a way that islanders can be protected, can be compensated and can be reimbursed. "Whether its through the insurance company, or through the airline or through a special compensation scheme." Deputy Morel said a compensation scheme would not be introduced in this government term. He said: "If you start a compensation scheme its going to add significant cost to the viability of the routes, that means routes will become less viable and so you could see airlines pulling out of certain routes if they are forced to be part of a compensation scheme. "It would take some time to look at properly and its not something we are going to look at between now and the end of the states assembly." More news stories for Jersey Listen to the latest news for Jersey During a States Assembly sitting, the minister encouraged islanders to get travel insurance. However Deputy Louise Doublet responded by saying insurance companies were not always paying out because they wrongly thought islanders were protected by EU law regarding flight cancellations. The Jersey Consumer Council said UK and EU law meant passengers on UK and EU-based airlines could claim more than £200 compensation for cancellations - but the equivalent law does not exist in the Channel Islands. Deputy Morel said if this issue was happening to people they should go to the Channel Islands' financial services ombudsman. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to Hospital patients let down by cancelled flights Blue Islands removes 28 flights from schedule Government of Jersey
