The state of our roads.

[jerseydaz]

Maybe I am stupid but why do we need an American company to manage the maintenance of the roads in Jersey? I was under the impression that this was a job TTS did. Why do we have so many civil servants at TTS and yet they still need to out source, although judging by the state of our roads is it because TTS are incapable. Will we see a reduction of civil servants at TTS now they have delegated this task to others? I did witness TTS lay tarmac only last year. A ramp three metres by one metre took one civil servant ( don't quite know what he was doing with tarmac as he was a plumber but having worked for the States I am well aware you don't actually need to understand your chosen topic when you get issued a Peugeot and a shiny luminous jacket. ) took two visits to look at it, another visit to explain to the five oppo's who were going to do the job and another visit to explain to us the tenant what they were going to do.  The actual work was done quickly by the lads who knew what they were doing, until we (the tenant) pointed out the door would now leak as they had come up above the weather bar. The work men explained that they were following orders and had given up trying to think for themselves. When the civil servant was shown the problem? He uttered the immortal words " I'll get the contractors down to have a look".
Maybe this explains why they need to get some one in as I know our experience is a far from isolated incident. I suggest working from the top down with States departments until you find someone with common sense and sacking the rest. 

[Lokel_Yokel]

Maybe the Americans will have a ruler - so they can draw straight lines, would have been useful to have someone who could draw a straight line when the plans for the Westbound lanes of the Esplanade / the Avenue were drawn up.

Every time I drive along I do wonder if the person at TTS who made the plans was pissed or simply a retard.

[boatyboy]

Hold on a minute, if an American company is being contracted to maintain all the roads, where does that leave the two local companies, and their employees ?

bb

[Lokel_Yokel]

Hold on a minute, if an American company is being contracted to maintain all the roads, where does that leave the two local companies, and their employees ?

bb

Still need locally based folks to wave a shovel around. or to peer into the holes........as long as the 2 local companies were given the opportunity to bid (and / or can subcontract) and the winning bid is better for Jersey overall then I have no problem with a US company being used. Some big ifs in that of course.

Not seen details of exactly what the US company will be doing - but one thing that both Jersey and the English have in common is not being able to manage anything too complicated (a wild generalisation I know - but way too much truth in that), so employing folk who can manage to arrange a piss up in a brewery is a good thing.

Hopefully it's not another Connex type deal. or a WEB smoke and mirrors type arrangement.

In regard to the TTS civil servants, my guess is that not only no job cuts, but probably need extra staff to manage the outsourcing - that is something that needs doing,albeit  probably won't be done well - whether intentionally or not.......

[man in the street]

heres a fact . we do not need a american company to lay tarmac in jersey.
  it must  be  a foot in the door  for them ,  is this one of mcleans start ups??
 so if this goverment  wants  all of us manual workers  down la motte street  on a daily basis ,  just carry on.
 no doubt the  yanks are  not paying any tax to the island  and removing  the cash they earn.
 here,s a thing  yokel local,  long before finance ,  jersey went along ok  without any , so called specialists , and jersey became operated by a bunch of outsiders  .
 this running for outside help for  a simple job must stop and those who cant , go and  find local labour who can

[Lokel_Yokel]

heres a fact . we do not need a american company to lay tarmac in jersey.
  it must  be  a foot in the door  for them ,  is this one of mcleans start ups??
 so if this goverment  wants  all of us manual workers  down la motte street  on a daily basis ,  just carry on.
 no doubt the  yanks are  not paying any tax to the island  and removing  the cash they earn.
 here,s a thing  yokel local,  long before finance ,  jersey went along ok  without any , so called specialists , and jersey became operated by a bunch of outsiders  .
 this running for outside help for  a simple job must stop and those who cant , go and  find local labour who can

I do appreciate where you are coming from - and just because I work in the Finance does not mean that I only care about the £££ numbers (albeit that  is important - the money has stopped growing on trees, for most of us and for the States  ) - IMO it is a good thing for everyone in Jersey that all folk in Jersey have at least a fair shake of the stick and at least a share of the pie.

For me whether the deal is a good one or not depends on the exact terms (and costs - both cash paid out and to everyone in Jersey)......not to say it's about keeping everyone in Jersey happy (not possible!) nor having to keep a status quo......I am as sceptical as the next Jerseyman about whether this deal is a good thing, but I don't have a problem with the principle - the devil is in the detail (as always).

But as long as the contract was tendered out fairly then IMO fair enough (if the winning bid does involve shipping people in to do the hands on work then IMO either something very badly wrong with the amount being paid or a very bad reflection on the local companies - or both!).

I would favour making the terms of such contracts public (easy to do, if agreed in advance that is one of the terms!).....so that the door is not closed to new companies (Jersey or not) when contract next up for renewal. For me a good contract would involve a requirement for, say, 90% of the labour used (shovel and management) to be undertaken by locals (5 Years +), with basic minimum terms of employment and that training (apprenticships) would be offered both for youngsters and existing staff (including for management!). I am relaxed about the  US company itself not paying tax and taking the profits elsewhere - just have to factor that into the competing bids (and the tax thing should give an edge to a locally owned company if the bids are also assessed for overall value to Jersey).

But I agree with you that Jersey a bit too fond of "Experts" from outside Jersey - sometimes it is important to use folk who have skills and experiance that can only be gained outside Jersey - but too often it seems they are employed simply as a CYA method - by the locals.....and that the folk engaged are either 2nd class, or simply cannot do things that are needed  - due to "the Jersey Way". 20 years behind and stuck in the mud.