THE JERSEY 2018 ELECTION - REFORM JERSEY - ROYAL COURT ELECT A CONSTABLE?

DEPUTY SAM MEZEC -CHAIRMAN OF REFORM JERSEY

THE 2018 JERSEY ELECTION

REFORM JERSEY

As we plod along to election day my rather small mind started to turn towards Reform Jersey. Now, before I start, I want to say that I hope Reform Jersey do really well at the ballot box on May 16th.  The Constable Party can't be allowed to have it all there own way. 10 Constables returned un-contested  - 1 Constable returned by the Royal Court in what can be best described as a shambles - not by Reform Jersey I might add but by the administration  at St Brelade Parish Hall ( I heard that the the person who made the complaint is no other than Mike Jackson's partner but I hope that is just a case of classic Jersey hearsay and not in anyway true)  We are then left with the good parishioners of St Mary to actually elect a Constable (a re run of 2014) and have us up to the early hours  of the morning  listening intently to the wireless as they count and re-count 60 votes. This is what makes  a Jersey election special.  

Back to Reform Jersey.

Reform Jersey have been the opposition Party in the States. I know there has only been 3 of them. Deputies Mezec, Southern & Tadier and they have done their best at holding the executive to account ( Not forgetting the Andrew Lewis faux pas.) but what exactly is the plan after the election? The problem I have is with Sam Mezec going for Senator.  Again, I wish him well. I would be shocked if he did not get elected - but why Senator? I take it that he wants the Island Wide mandate to put himself in a strong position for a Ministerial Position but surely Reform Jersey must be the government not a  part of the government. They don't have enough experienced candidates to come in and take the big positions. They need to get as many candidates  elected as  possible and then build a power base ready for the 2022 election. What happens to Reform Jersey as an opposition party if their Chairman is sitting in the executive as a Minister? I don't quite get it. Now I might be getting this all wrong and Sam has no intention of a Ministerial position but I'm sure I read somewhere that he is. I looked forward to getting some comments regarding this issue. Again, I wish them well. Build now for 2022.

The Hustings are underway. This is a special event on the OAP calendar. Off they go to the Parish Hall thinking that they are going to get  Billy Ocean but instead get Stevie Ocean uttering the  same old pointless nonsense that he  uttered 4yrs previously. He is not alone. They all do it. Senatorial Elections are not won or lost at Hustings. You will find the odd young person sitting in the crowd wandering how the hell they ended up there and how the hell do the get out of there. 

Then you have  the St Clement Hustings. All the candidates think that the oldies have turned up to listen to  them waffle on when in fact they have only turned up to hear  Constable Len Norman deliver his ageless and timeless one line  gag. "Welcome to St Clement. God's own Parish" . They laugh, they cheer then they pop the pills as they realise it all down hill for the next 2 hours.  This is what makes the Jersey Election Special. 

Also, word on the street is that Moz Scott who is running in the Senatorial Election is the Establishment Plant. After listening to her speeches I'm like her in that I don't have a bloody clue if she is or not.  Ben Shenton has his work cut out with that one. Will probably top the poll. This is what makes the Jersey Election Special. 

Back Soon

Rico Sorda 

THE 2018 JERSEY ELECTION - THE RESULTS FOR SENATOR ARE NOW IN.

BREAKING NEWS

JERSEY 2018 SENATORIAL ELECTION 

RESULTS ARE IN

The results for the 2018 Jersey Senatorial Election are now in. They are produced below in no particular order.. 

Ian Gorst 

Lyndon Farnham

Sam Mezec

Kristina Moore

Tracy Vallois

John Le Fondre

Sarah Ferguson

Steve Pallett

Ian Gorst topped the poll in 2014 with 14,000 votes. I expect his challenge for top spot will come from Tracy Vallois who I expect to be our next Treasury Minister. The position of Chief Minister has to be Ian Gorst for the simple reason as I don't see any other candidate capable of doing it. He needs another 4yrs to implement all the recommendations of the Jersey Care Enquiry.. If Tracy Vallois doesn't fancy the Treasury Job then she might well go for the top job - why else go for the position of Senator? You only really need an Island wide mandate for one of those two positions.  Deputies and Constables have been Minister previously. 

Kristina Moore must also be eyeing something a little bit more than being Home Affairs Minister. She has just completed her first term as Minister whilst being a Deputy. Why the sudden craving for being a Senator? You get all the same perks, unless that is, you are eyeing one of the two top jobs?

Lyndon Farnham as Chief Minister hahahahahahahahahhaahha F'ing Comical. His promotional video for Senator is something else. Like a trailer for Home & Away. Was expecting to see Alf Stewart make an appearance  over the sand dunes with a vote Lyndon t-shirt on. 

The turn out will be around the 23,000 mark and could be even lower if it rains on election day and judging by the amount of rain that we have had so far it looks more likely than Stevie Ocean being the next External Relations minister…

On another note.The Ministers have been disappearing faster than an Deputy Pinel bra strap over the previous months - this has had everyone looking over their shoulder wandering what the hell is coming down the tracks.. I suppose we should all be careful what we wish for. Election after Election trying to get rid of the buggers and then they all just decide to do one. This has left me with a kind of Stockholm Syndrome wishing that some of them would come back. 

I have decided not to vote in the 2018 election for reasons I will explain in the next posting.

When you click on the Vote.je States of Jersey Elections and you see the candidates it gives you a kind of uneasy feeling - Like walking in on your parents. Can it get any worse? Only time will tell. 

As it stands the most powerful body in the States is the Constable Party. It will not be any different after the last vote has been cast. 10 uncontested seats. That is the power.

Rico Sorda

STATEMENT OF ANDREW LEWIS IN RESPONSE TO PPC

DEPUTY ANDREW LEWIS

FORMER DCO DAVID WARCUP

THE MOST INCREDIBLE PART OF THE STATEMENT FROM THIS PRESS RELEASE IS THIS:

"A quote taken from recent Hansard transcripts from Deputy Hilton suggests that I said during questions in 2008 that I had seen a copy of the Metropolitan Police Report when in fact I said “I had read an alarming report from the Metropolitan Police".  I accept that this didn't adequately describe the report to which I was referring. I had read  a report from the Deputy Police Chief (DCO) about the Metropolitan police report. I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower. At no time was there any intention to deceive members of the assembly. It should also be noted that this was a Q & A session. No vote of approval was being sought from members as the suspension had taken place nearly two weeks previously."

"I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower."

"DAVID WARCUP IS NOW A WHISTLE BLOWER"

"DID ANDREW LEWIS TELL THE CARE ENQUIRY THAT THE REASON FOR MISLEADING THE HOUSE WAS TO PROTECT THE WHISTLE BLOWER?"

"THIS IS GOING BEYOND MONTY PYTHON"

READ IT AND CRY (WITH LAUGHTER)

Statement Deputy Andrew Lewis 18^th August 2017

I note the publication of PPC’s report today and would like to make the following observations.

Firstly the PPC report does not contain any of the relevant points provided to them by Sir Philip Bailhache and myself at the PPC hearing (for the purpose of completeness I attach the statements given to PPC).

The Hansard extracts contained in the PPC’s report from various States sittings have been taken out of context. Consequently the report appears to infer that they are statements of fact. One statement in particular from Deputy Higgins suggests that I received advice from the Attorney General when in fact this advice was not  shared with me but was given to the former Chief Minister Frank Walker and not passed on to me. Deputy Higgins in another statement states that I played a part in an ‘Unfair Dismissal’ of the former police Chief. When in fact the police Chief was never dismissed, he was suspended to allow for a full and fair investigation to take place. (This was in the form of the Wiltshire report a summary of the findings I have also attached).

A quote taken from recent Hansard transcripts from Deputy Hilton suggests that I said during questions in 2008 that I had seen a copy of the Metropolitan Police Report when in fact I said “I had read an alarming report from the Metropolitan Police".  I accept that this didn't adequately describe the report to which I was referring. I had read  a report from the Deputy Police Chief (DCO) about the Metropolitan police report. I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower. At no time was there any intention to deceive members of the assembly. It should also be noted that this was a Q & A session. No vote of approval was being sought from members as the suspension had taken place nearly two weeks previously.

Questions asked in the States Assembly in 2008 by the former Deputy Paul Le Claire are quoted in the PPC's report. However there is no mention of the fact that at this point, proceedings were interrupted by both the Bailiff and the Solicitor General. Therefore, even if I had recognised the significance of Deputy Le Claire’s chosen words there was not an immediate opportunity for me or anyone else to correct the Deputy’s use of language to describe the report to which he was referring.

I also note that on page one of PPC’s report there is a quote from the IJCC report reference 10.40 which is also taken out of context as there is no clarification confirming that in the same IJCC  report they state that the panel found no evidence of any attempt to derail the police investigation by suspending the police chief.

As I have said before, if any members that were present on December 2^nd  2008 and felt mislead by anything I said I most sincerely appologise. I have since endeavored to clarify the position for the record.

I will not be making any further comments on this matter until the next States Sitting in September.

CHALLENGING FORMER HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER SENATOR IAN LE MARQUAND ON THE SUSPENSION OF GRAHAM POWER 9TH NOVEMBER 2012

FORMER HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER SENATOR IAN LE MARQUAND

BBC RADIO JERSEY

9TH NOVEMBER 2012

I WENT HEAD TO HEAD WITH THEN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER SENATOR IAN LE MARQUAND

CONCERNING THE SUSPENSION OF FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE GRAHAM POWER.

IT MAKES FOR INTERESTING LISTENING

I THANK "THEJERSEYWAY" BLOGSPOT FOR THE RECORDING.

WE DISCUSS WILTSHIRE - THE DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION INTO WHY GRAHAM POWER WAS SUSPENDED.

THE VERY SAME WILTSHIRE THAT DEPUTY ANDREW LEWIS CONTINUES TO TRY AND USE TO JUSTIFY HIS ACTIONS.

WILTSHIRE IS NOT THE LIFEBOAT ANDREW WANTS IT TO BE

DEPUTY ANDREW LEWIS 

WILTSHIRE (OPERATION HAVEN 1)




THE FACTS



On the 12th November 2008 Deputy Andrew Lewis as Home Affairs Minister suspended the Chief of Police Graham Power QPM on what can only be described as spurious grounds. This act was the only significant Ministerial decision he made during his very short tenure as Home Affairs Minister before retiring from politics at the end of 2008.The above action set in chain an Independent Disciplinary Investigation by Wiltshire Constabulary.This was named Operation Haven 1.

Wiltshire were called in to conduct a disciplinary investigation into Operation Rectangle. This was led by Chief Constable Brian Moore. Wiltshire was not the end of a disciplinary procedure but the beginning. What happened next went beyond farcical. Graham Power prepared his defence case which included a 94page 62,000 word document. Wiltshire then missed every deadline set. In fact, they didn't finish their report until mid 2010. By then Graham Power had left the States of Jersey Police. Wiltshire was meant to report their findings in March 2009. Graham Power was denied the opportunity to state his defence case. Deputy Andrew Lewis has continuously attempted to rely on the allegations made against Graham Power in Operation Haven 1 in order to justify his suspension of the former Chief of Police.

Andrew Lewis wants to rely upon unproven - untested allegations contained in the prosecution case.


Andrew Lewis has no shame and is bringing the States of Jersey into disrepute by continuing this absurd attempt to clear his name. Clearly Deputy Andrew Lewis doesn't comprehend that natural justice dictates that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He is clutching at straws. Graham Power is innocent of all allegations in Haven 1. That's not me saying that - that's the law.

Even in the States today Deputy Andrew Lewis was saying how Wiltshire was a damning report. This makes Deputy Andrew Lewis incredibly stupid or extremely desperate.. He should just resign from the states and save himself and his political colleagues anymore shame.


The verdict is in. It cost the taxpayer 23million pounds. P.P.C should be looking at what sanctions they can impose on Deputy Lewis not rehashing such a costly investigation.



WILTSHIRE WAS THE PROSECUTION CASE



DO THE HONOURABLE THING DEPUTY LEWIS AND GO


Rico Sorda

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE JCLA

STATEMENT FROM JERSEY CARELEAVERS ASSOCIATION (JCLA)
Monday 3^rd July 2017

On behalf of the JCLA and as a survivor I welcome today’s publication of the IJCI’s report.

We have waited a very long time not just for this report but to obtain an independent opinion and to understand why so many vulnerable children came to be abused in Jersey some for many years whilst in the care of the States of Jersey.

The report makes for disturbing reading. The inquiry exposes repeated failures in good governments and managements on the part of the States of Jersey. 

Very often and too often the term “historical” is applied like a label to the accounts of child abuse. This is both wrong and misleading. Survivors in Jersey and further afield are living testimony to the fact that there is nothing historical about the abuse they suffered. They are living proof that what happened is a challenge for today and tomorrow. A challenge in the sense that as a community we have to face-up to the failings identified in the report, to put those failings right, and to ensure that we have a fit for purpose child protection system in place for tomorrow.

The report identifies where the SOJ has gone wrong on child protection year in year out. Too often the interests of vulnerable children were secondary, and the risk as identified in the report that the lessons that could be learnt from the past will not be. Far too often the SOJ diverted its considerable resources on short-term measures to shore-up reputations. Those concerned may well have thought they were acting wisely at the time, but they were blinkered as to the real issues. Children were being failed and in the worse possible way.

Jersey should be rightly proud that it held the inquiry and credit is due where it is deserved. Those in the SOJ and others who supported the creation of the inquiry and allowed it to go about its work should be acknowledged.

The inquiry would not have been possible had not so many witnesses come forward, and by no means least survivors. It took courage and dignity to give evidence to the inquiry. 

We must now look to the future. It would be absurd for this report to be allowed to gather dust. It is incumbent on Jersey’s leaders and the SOJ to take this report, and act on the recommendations made by the IJCI’s Panel to ensure that there is a fit for purpose child protection system in place for all children from now and into the future.  

 History of JCLA

The JCLA was formed in 2008 in the wake of the announcement that an investigation into years of child abuse in the Island was being undertaken by the States of Jersey Police. Survivors/victims of abuse were offered the opportunity to join the charity, and it attracted members from as far afield as Australia. The objectives of the charity were fourfold -

• To provide an open door for survivors to call as and when they felt they wanted to talk and be believed, to be listened to and to express their feelings without being judged. Survivors had a great mistrust of anything and anybody with States of Jersey connections and the JCLA was a place of 'safety' to them. 

• To offer practical help in many ways to make it easier for members to obtain records whether it be their child care SOJ records, or police statements made by them. Many Care leavers were looking for answers and needed to understand what happened to them as children and why they ended up in care. For some, this process was invaluable to help them understand more about their past and gave them a better sense of identity with more of an understanding about what happened to them as children.  We helped with completing forms and attended meetings with those who were too nervous to go alone. Contact was made on behalf of JCLA members with agencies involved to make the many processes of the redress scheme and the Inquiry easier for Survivors. 

• To ensure a Redress Scheme was put in place and reached out to as many Care leavers as possible to make them aware that this was in place. 

• To ensure that a fully robust and independent Committee of Inquiry was enabled, and that JCLA’s input and recommendations for the Terms of Reference were taken on board. 

We kept members up to date with all updates and news through a regular newsletter and e-mails. We attended many meetings with Lawyers, the Chief Minister and other States members as well as various SOJ Departments to negotiate a way forward for all.  Not all the abuse survivors wanted to be members of the JCLA which we fully understood and respected, but it was hoped that any achievements and progress we made was of benefit to all. We worked very hard for justice for all survivors and recognition that at last the awful history of the past would come into the public domain, and expose the failings of the States of Jersey and the many agencies that should have prevented this ever happening. 

It is not something Jersey should be proud of, but we hope the Inquiry Report highlights not only the great failures, but recommendations will be made that will ensure that this will never happen again. 

This has been a very long journey for all but in particular for the very brave survivors who, having already been through the ordeal of a traumatic and abusive childhood, had to re-live their experiences once again. We would also like to thank all those who have helped and guided us throughout these many years, there are too many to mention but you know who you are. To you all - thank you.

We hope that we have given some form of comfort to those needing our help and hope that in time, Jersey will be able to heal and move forward from this dark chapter in her history however……… 

…..for some Survivors this can never happen. To them, this is not historic; the memories continue to consume their lives today and tomorrow. For these people, there will never be closure.     

Carrie Modral 

JCLA

AN END TO THE JERSEY WAY?

PRESS RELEASE ON BEHALF OF:

CAMPAIGNERS FOR AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO JERSEY CHILD ABUSE

“An end to the Jersey way.”

A group of current and former politicians, as well as Jersey bloggers who campaigned for almost a decade on subject of Child Abuse, and who fought for the Independent Abuse Inquiry to take place have said they are awaiting with ‘great anticipation’ the publishing of tomorrow’s report into child abuse. 

Speaking on behalf of the campaigners, Deputy Montfort Tadier said, “This was a hard fought battle and the Inquiry would not have happened were it not for a handful of committed individuals in the States Assembly, careleavers and members of citizens’ media, who successfully campaigned for the Inquiry to take place.

First and foremost, we must recognise that systemic child abuse was allowed to take place in state institutions, and elsewhere, over recent decades, to some of the most vulnerable children in our society. For some survivors and those close to them, there may never be true justice or closure, but today we can stand with them in solidarity and recognise their pain and trauma.

The two important questions that we hope the Inquiry will address are: How was this able to happen in Jersey, and could it still happen today?

During the giving of evidence, many witnesses spoke of ‘the Jersey Way’; by this they meant a culture in which reporting abuse was difficult, where they weren’t listened to, where whilstleblowing was almost impossible, where the island’s reputation came before the safeguarding of the vulnerable and where compacency was the norm. 

There are still examples of some of these failures today: some areas of public sector and institutions remain hostile to criticism. Where this culture exists, it must be replaced by an active pursuit of honesty, openness, and accountability. Where problems exist, staff, agencies and citizens must feel able to raise valid concerns knowing that effectifve action will be taken in a timely manner. This will, no doubt, also mean better resourcing and investment in areas such as social care, education and training. We must also be prepared to reform our institutions where they are no longer fit for purpose and tradition can no longer be an excuse for not adopting modern best practice.”

-ENDS-

NOTE- Due to the timing of the publication of the report, the Campaign Group will be making a public statement on Tuesday at 1pm where members of the media may attend and ask questions. Venue TBA – see twitter for details (@DeputyTadier). 

Contact –Deputy Montfort Tadier, 0779784435