Helen Smith was one of those to receive her CitizenCard yesterday. She is seen with fellow Sixth Form Centre pupils and Fusion doorman Jean-Pierre Giles. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0874419)
NATIONALLY recognised proof of ID cards were handed out in Guernsey for the first time yesterday.
Grammar School Sixth Form Centre students, who applied for the CitizenCard in September, were among the first to receive theirs.
The card has been given to those aged 18. Those aged 17 at the moment will receive theirs on their birthday.
So far, 350 youngsters have applied.
Jack Bichard, 18, said the cards were a good idea as it meant people would not lose their driving licence or passport in Town.
‘It won’t be that big a deal if you have to apply for a new one.’
But Daniel Long, 18, said it was not that useful as driving licences were already accepted, whereas this card was new.
Drugs and Alcohol Strategy co-ordinator Andrea Nightingale said she was pleased by the number of students who had applied.
‘I would like to target young people who have left school, are unemployed and are 18 years old in the same time frame as Year 13 students, so they have the opportunity of obtaining the cards for free.’
The owner of new Town nightclub Fusion, Adam Burroughs, said the scheme would make the job easier for door staff.
‘We are going to be doing some promotional events in the near future and the CitizenCard will be very much part of this.’
One of the nightclub’s doormen, Jean-Pierre Giles, said the scheme was a good idea.
‘It saves us going through all the rigmarole of trying to prove how old someone is. It does make our job easier because you can see the card and you know they can’t fake it.
‘It’s guaranteed [a person’s age] so you don’t need to worry about it.’
Pubwatch chairman Tony Le Marchant said anything that made it easier for pubs to detect under-age drinking and support the licensing trade could only be a good thing.
‘It is increasingly difficult to tell how old someone is just by their appearance, so the more help the better.’
Article posted on 20th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
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