Those who have followed this debacle will know that Senator Gorst saw the writing on the wall and knew he was going to lose the proposition so has come out with the below excuse in order to save face.
Although he has lost face by withdrawing the proposition, as he would have, had it of been debated. He was in a lose, lose situation that ONLY he couldn't see.
It is clear to most political observers that Senator Gorst is being manipulated by those who want him out as Chief Minister to make room for the "rightful King."
"Following a constructive dialogue between Senator Ian Gorst and Deputy Rob Duhamel, the Chief Minister has decided to withdraw the proposition seeking the dismissal of the Planning and Environment Minister.Deputy Duhamel has apologised for not disclosing information to the Chief Minister and for not clarifying the background to meeting a potential applicant without officers being present. He has confirmed that the relevant protocols will be followed strictly in future regarding meetings with existing and potential planning applicants. The Chief Minister has accepted these assurances and has expressed his regret regarding the recent escalation of events which led to the decision of the majority of the Council of Ministers to support the proposition for dismissal.Senator Gorst and Deputy Duhamel have agreed that, while the move to Ministerial government has brought many benefits, there are some aspects of the current system that are not always conducive to good government and which are in need of improvement. Following last year's Machinery of Government Review, the Privileges and Procedures Committee is currently preparing amendments to the States of Jersey Law to create a more effective structure, which, if agreed by the States Assembly in the Spring, will clarify that the Council of Ministers should work to the principle of collective responsibility and will bring about a more effective Ministerial Code.Until the new structure is in place, the Chief Minister and Planning and Environment Minister have committed to work together in a constructive manner within the current legal framework in order to serve the best interests of the Island.They have agreed to work in partnership in order to:· review the relevant protocols so as to clarify the correct balance between privacy and disclosure in relation to planning information
· decide what future role, if any, the Planning and Environment Minister should have in the initial determination of individual applications and whether changes are needed to the planning law
· work with the Council of Ministers to develop an updated Ministerial Code in anticipation of the principle of collective responsibility and other machinery of government improvements being adopted by the Assembly
· consider the interaction between the introduction of collective responsibility and the responsibilities of the Planning and Environment Minister under the planning law.While this work is underway, the Planning and Environment Minister has confirmed that he will restrict his involvement in individual planning applications to those where it is absolutely necessary, having regard for existing procedures and the proposed amendments to the law to introduce a new planning appeals process, and that he will explain clearly to fellow Ministers if he is unable to engage in a discussion due to conflicts with his official responsibilities under the planning law.The Chief Minister has welcomed these confirmations and has committed to seek to ensure that the Planning and Environment Minister can work in a positive and constructive manner within the Council of Ministers through better dialogue and mutual understanding between all Ministers." (END)
Now there must be a vote of confidence against Senator Gorst. Question is who in the States Chamber has the courage and integrity to bring it?
Duhamel comes out of this looking the stronger man by not being bullied into resigning and he should stand against Gorst for Chief Minister in the next Assembly. That's if Gorst does get re elected by the public.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that Ian Gorst should suddenly regard the protocols surrounding the direct involvement of Ministers to be so important.
ReplyDeleteGorst has obviously fundamentally revised his opinion - since he permitted the profoundly and fatally conflicted Philip Bailhache to sit in on, and participate in, the CoM decisions that influenced and structured the purported Committee of Inquiry into the decades of gross child-protection failures in Jersey.
Ian Gorst will - no doubt - be expecting people like me - in many ways THE key wittiness to the high-level - and frankly corrupt - failure of Jersey's public administration to properly adhere to the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 - to co-operate with a purported "public inquiry" - which has been directly shaped by expressly conflicted parties, such as Philip Bailhache and the Law Officers Department.
The man simply does not have a clue. Plainly, miles out of his depth.
Stuart
Good to see that Senator Gorst has withdrawn his proposition. He must have been reading my Blog.
ReplyDeleteHis communications unit would have advised him that public opinion both on the Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) and in the State Media was against him. He had to pull this proposition, which ironically has possibly damaged him more than the debate could have.
DeleteI must say I'm a little puzzled as to how Ian Gorst got Rob Duhamel to apologise? Surely Duhamel should have carried on sticking to his guns and said that he wouldn't apologise and was prepared to fall on his sword if he lost the vote.
Duhamel apologised and Gorst didn't when Duhamel looked to have the vote won is very curious.
I think you are being hard on Rob here.What he has conceded is that he might have communicated that he had a meeting a bit more readily , and nothing else.The other 'charges' are off.But Gorst has a self inflicted stomach wound and the hounds smell it .
DeleteHe just got nervous because Ozouf assured him he would be standing behind him.
ReplyDeleteThe times they have a changed. At one time all you needed was the backing of Senator Ozouf to ensure the success of your proposition. Now it is doomed to failure because of it.
DeleteWill the JEP write it up as happy families & no harm done?
ReplyDeleteFor moral, and ethical, reasons I don't buy the JEP but am told it has published an article today giving Senator Gorst and the CoM some stick. It will probably soon publish an article convincing its reader(s) that it needs a strong hand at the tiller to sort this mess out and Senator Bailhache is that man. #predictable
DeleteHi VFC.
ReplyDeleteThis man's for Turning? Spinning you name it he'll do it!
On the Radio today, you can listen HERE
TJW.
Did Duhamel really apoligise.Do we actually know this.
ReplyDeleteAs it was reported as thus in the States brainwashing JEP does it make it true? or is it more trying to make the public think that Duhamel had something to apoligise for
I see that Gorst, in the above statement, is now claiming an unqualified Cabinet majority in favour of his motion.
ReplyDeleteIf this is the case, then the original press statement was an insult to people's intelligence rather than a piece of statistical finessing.
Was the whole thing orchestrated behind the scenes by (would be) King PB to make Gorst look weak, so PB can can step in and get the Chief Miniature role?
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in the main posting.
Delete"It is clear to most political observers that Senator Gorst is being manipulated by those who want him out as Chief Minister to make room for the "rightful King."
Obviously they want their own puppet sorry I mean man, in office at the planning department to do their personal bidding. You can almost see the Jersey Post Headline " Plemont building permission revoked by new Minister who's say's mistakes were made " Legal battle to follow to be heard by Royal Court judge and friendly Jurats.
ReplyDeleteNo corruption in Jersey, just rich boys and their toys screwing the rest of us.
Any tenants signed up to pay rent North of £20 million a year yet Treasury Minister Ozouf, before a brick is laid on your other folly down at the Esplanade ? Maybe you forgot your own promises to your friends in the States.
You do that fairly often. Good luck come the elections, you are going to need it.
How will Ian work with a man he was unable to bring himself to apologise too when questioned in the States today. Differences not sorted out simply simmering over.
ReplyDeleteHi VFC.
ReplyDeleteJust put up Audio of yesterdays Sitting, which includes the Urgent Question to the Chief Minister, then the 15 minutes with the Chief Minister and then another 15 Minutes with the real Chief Minister!
You and your readers can listen HERE
TJW.
TJW is a hero, did you know the Esplanade qtr is about to make a loss. The car park loan to Jersey Development by Ozouf, obviously will not be paid back.Ozouf gets angry and denies all this but then blows it when he says the building may not be fully leased / tenanted. He is on record as saying it will get a yearly income north of £20 million. How can you do that if it is not fully let, and why build the others, another one has been passed. Senator Ferguson is one angry women. Don't miss it.
ReplyDeleteAll thanks to TJW. for letting us hear states members be spun by Ozouf, with the exception of a handful including the maths lady Ferguson.
Brilliant - but what an F…in Government to be so easily led.
http://ricosorda.blogspot.com/2014/01/broad-street-post-office-rbc-jersey-and_23.html
ReplyDeleteRS