THE JERSEY ESTABLISHMENT CLOSES RANKS (AGAIN.)

Following on from VFC's PREVIOUS POSTING  today there were two questions tabled in the States of Jersey (the island's Parliament) relating to the current position of the suspended (or not) Dean. 

Deputy Trevor Pitman asked;

"Will H.M. Attorney General inform the Assembly what procedures are followed in the event of a vacancy in the office of Dean of Jersey and who is responsible for making any appointment to the post?"

Deputy Roy Le Herissier asked;

Would H.M. Attorney General explain how the appointment and management of the day to day performance in regard to the Dean is divided as between the Crown and the Bishop of Winchester?"

Given the background to the current suspension of the Dean of Jersey by the Bishop of Winchester, done with the public support of the Archbishop of Canterbury no less, these questions would have provided any progressive modern government with a welcome opportunity to assert its positive credentials. It was a good chance for the Jersey Establishment to state its commitment in protecting the vulnerable, to assert the importance of following the correct procedures when issues arose, and to openly and publically state its intention to work with the Church of England in order to ensure that Jersey operated to the highest standards in cases where the interests of the vulnerable were concerned. Such commitments would of course have been in stark contrast to the recent policy of siding with the alleged abuser, and throwing the victim off the island when she had the nerve to protest about her treatment. Nevertheless, the Church is, or ought to be, renowned for its ability to repent and forgive so a bit of repentance might have been worth a go.

But that is not what we got.

In response to this challenge the Establishment reverted to type and did what it does almost better than anyone (with the possible exception of the better organised elements of the Sicilian Mafia.) It closed ranks and defied the world to do anything about it.

With a straight face, the political and legal establishment told the Assembly that contrary to what the Archbishop of Canterbury might think, the Dean of Jersey was not suspended. He was welcome, should he so wish, to take his seat alongside the great and the good in the States of Jersey, the St Helier Parish Rates Committee, and all of the other formidable features of his role. Listeners, to this morning's debate, may have got the impression that the Establishment would positively welcome him back to the top table in a direct challenge to any insubordinate Bishop who had dared to question their authority in the matter.

Members tried to establish just to whom the Dean was actually accountable. Apparently he was accountable to the Jersey Ecclesiastical Court which was presided over than none other than the Dean himself, although it was conceded that if the Dean was the subject of any complaint the chair would be taken by that renowned champion of victim’s rights, the Deputy Bailiff, William Bailhache who was Chairing this morning's States sitting, so no conflict of interest there then.

Members also attempted to discover just who actually selected and appointed the Dean. They were told that it was the Queen herself no less. However, given that most members were aware that Her Majesty does not as a rule place job adverts in the newspaper or conduct interviews of candidates, questions were asked as to who actually selected the candidate and advised the Queen on the appointment. The full Establishment, led by the Solicitor General himself, expressed total ignorance. They had, it appeared, absolutely no idea how the selection process operated. That is a little surprising given that a number present were active participants in the selection of the current Dean who we understand took part in a selection process which involved dinners and meetings with the “Great and the Good” intended to ensure that he was the “right sort” and would “fit in” with the pillars of the Jersey Establishment. Well he fitted in right enough. Arguably  putting the interests of a suspected abuser before those of the victim and attempting to bury the whole thing is about as “fitting in” as you can get at the top levels of the Island’s Government.

In today’s exercise in what passes hereabouts for “democratic accountability” the Island’s worthies will have impressed each other but we suspect, few others. No doubt they will have regarded what took place as a heavyweight analysis of the legal and other reasons why they had primacy over matters affecting the Dean, and an assertion of their political authority. We suspect however that to much of the real world it will have been seen as a bunch of Ruritanian pipsqueaks hanging onto the shrinking remnants of their status.

The test now lies with the Church of England. Will they put victims first and take on the dark forces of the Jersey Hierarchy or will they back off and let normal service resume? Time will tell but all of a sudden a good deal more than the Dean of Jersey and Church Procedure appears to be at stake.

Submitted by VFC reader(s).