Dear Sir,
The Editor, Jersey Evening Post
November 5, 2002
Dear Sir,
Last night our twelve year old son Martin, who suffers from profound autism, was exceedingly distressed, and as a consequence, agitated and violent by thoughtless people letting off fireworks. It required the intervention of a member of staff from Aviemore respite centre before we could finally calm him down, by which time we were considerably battered and bruised.
When I spoke to the duty centenier (St Brelade), I was told that while he was sympathetic, but stated that unless fireworks were let off on public land, there was nothing the police could do; people could freely, on any day, let off fireworks on their own property, as long as no damage was caused to other peoples property. We were given the advice that it might help to take Martin out for a drive, as the noise of the car might mask the noise of the fireworks. Given that Martin was both agitated and violent, this seemed neither practical or safe.
I then tried the local Deputy, Mike Vibert, who explained that while he was sympathetic, there was nothing he could do, except contact the duty centenier, the States Police, or the Home Affairs committee. When I asked if he would be prepared to bring a private members bill to prevent the indiscriminate use of fireworks on days apart from November, or, as the centenier had suggested, to restrict the sale of fireworks to the general public to silent ones, such as sparklers, he said that there was nothing he could do on the matter, as that would be the responsibility of the Home Affairs committee.
I telephoned Alastair Layzell, who informed me that this was a perennial problem, but that it was not in fact his committee’s responsibility. The policing and control of the sale of fireworks was the responsibility of the Connetables, and it was up to them to bring to the States any legislation for restricting the type of fireworks, or the days on which fireworks could be used. It appears his committee have control of guns, but not gunpowder, which can be used indiscriminately by anyone over 18. He did suggest that I lodge a complaint with the Connetable so that he is aware of the situation. I then suggested that there might be a case for nuisance, but he informed me that recent nuisance law was in fact the responsibility of the Health and Social Services committee.
I rang the Connetable, and spoke to his wife, as he was out at a meeting, and asked that a report of the upset caused to my son be passed on to him. By then it was approaching 10.00 p.m., and as the bangs had ceased, and our son had calmed down, I decided not to pursue the matter further with Senator Syvret.
All the people I spoke to were polite, and sympathetic, but it appears that nobody is either able or willing to take any positive action to avert this kind of nightmare occurring to ourselves, and probably a good many other people, every year for the first two weeks in November. I have no objection to the public displays. We know when they occur, in which Parish, at which time they begin, and for how long they continue, and we can take steps to avoid them.
We would like to see the following:
It is notable that the U.K. has a private members bill by Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Control of Fireworks (No. 2) Bill), which is attempting to facilitate just these kind of measures. I wonder how much misery and distress local people will have to suffer before Jersey catches up with the rest of the world.
Yours sincerely,
A.M. Bellows
Question about noise and fireworks by Deputy Jerry Dorey
http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/questions/32769-2168-2562003.htm