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Fresh from her travels to Atlanta to collect an international award, local singer-songwriter the 'Pink Cowgirl’ is back in the island, thinking about how she would improve Jersey if she had the chance.
Taking a break from writing and performing her own music, as well as her work as a health care assistant, Dina Andrews puts forward the five things she would change about the island she was born in.
From protecting the hedgerows to licences for performers like her, Dina throws her pink cowgirl hat in the ring when it comes to making Jersey a better place...
On my daily travels, I found myself on one of the top floors at Les Marais and looked out of the window. I was horrified to see the estate where I grew up has become a concrete jungle.
Pictured: Dina describes the area she grew up in as a "concrete jungle."
Where have all the trees we used to climb gone? The fields we used to take short cuts through? There were huge grassy areas where we would play elastic, marbles etc… that has now gone. Where are the children in the new housing going to play?
Some of our really pretty hedgerows are just being eaten away by the monster hedge trimmers that just destroy everything in their path.
Pictured: The musician calls for Jersey's natural hedgerows to be protected.
When trees are chopped down they should be replaced by new ones. Our pretty little lanes are being destroyed!
This service needs a huge shake up. Our young generation do not have the help they need. It is not just them either. The whole service needs a good shake. You cannot move someone out of a room at night, to a different area in the hospital, and then get them back to a room in the day when they are suffering from mental health issues.
Pictured: "The whole service needs a good shake."
How are they supposed to get well when they are being shifted from pillar to post? The elderly regularly get kicked out of hospital because they need the beds!
Pubs only get granted a licence for two performers. If they want a band they need an expensive licence. If it’s a big pub with a huge turnover they can afford the big bands to perform.
Pictured: Dina thinks entertainment licenses are unfair towards bands.
This I feel is really unfair as there is such a vast amount of talent on the island, with nowhere to play because there are no venues for them.
It costs nothing to be kind. A smile can change someone’s day.
Pictured: "A smile can change someone's day."
People should support each other when they do well. I belong to an amazing body the International Singer Songwriters’ Association (ISSA) and winner or not they support each other.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Bailiwick Express.
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