Deputy Sam Mezec
The States of Jersey (the Island's Parliament) has recently begun streaming its public sessions online which attracts somewhere in the region of around 300-400 viewers. This is a most welcome move towards openness and transparency which the States should be congratulated for but will it have the (unintentional) effect of placing more power in the hands of the silent majority and political dissenters, Bloggers, Tweeters, Facebookers and less power in the hands of the mainstream media?
In May this year we published a Blog Posting alerting readers to the latest attempt to shut down political dissent and to keep the power in the hands of the rich and powerful with its somewhat tame mainstream media. Could it be that the ruling elite became aware it might have created its own monster by opening up the island's parliament in this way?
Chairman of Jersey's only political party (Reform Jersey) Deputy Sam Mezec is a young, modern, forward thinking twenty-first century progressive politician who understands the potential power of Citizens Media and how to take advantage of it. He recently uploaded a short clip, to Facebook, of a speech he gave in the States which subsequently went viral. Receiving in excess of 90,000 views, more than 2,000 "likes" over 1,500 shares and 400 comments. For a Jersey politician this is unprecedented yet none of our local mainstream media has reported on it. The only mainstream media to have reported on this is from outside of Jersey in the Isle of Man which can be viewed HERE. The speech has also been uploaded to YouTube which can be viewed HERE. We will also embed it below our interview with Deputy Mezec at the bottom of this posting.
Deputy Mezec had previously agreed to an interview with VFC before his video was published or went viral. We were going to (and have) discussed Reform Jersey's next "Pint and Politics" evening but couldn't NOT report on this unprecedented event and ask questions like "how can the mainstream media expect to remain relative in the age of the internet while ignoring such significant public interest/political events?" Deputy Mezec describes (interview below) the power of Citizens Media as "revolutionary for democracy" and is rendering the mainstream "redundant."
We have decided to publish our interview in two parts and will publish part two, where we discuss the recent election of Donald Trump, the part played by mainstream media and much, much, more.
In the meantime we thank Deputy Mezec, not only for the exclusive interview, but for making Jersey politics available to all and showing there is an alternative, new breed, of politician in the States who do have the interest of ordinary Islanders at heart even if the mainstream media don't want the public to know this. He is still able to get his message out there on Citizens Media possibly even to a wider audience.
A question readers, and the mainstream media, should ask themselves is; "would the MSM have shown such little interest if the likes of Philip Bailhache/Ian Gorst had published a video that went viral?" Whose interests is the MSM serving on the Island?
Good to see Team Voice doing what the State Media are too scared to do. You really can't help thinking that the Establishment may live to regret allowing the TV cameras in to the States.
ReplyDeleteI say this because as Sam Mezec is showing again over the past twenty years certainly 99% of the best speakers have come from the Progressive side, be it the traditional Left or Green politics.
What great television some of these people would have made! Ted Vibert, Trevor Pitman, Stuart Syvret, even the sometimes for the people Dick Shenton back in the day. Compare all of these with the clueless stuttering of Gorst, Noel and MacLean. Or the pompous lecturing of Philip Bailhache.
Good luck Sam. A very good speech and just maybe at a time when the tide is finally beginning to turn, so more people are willing to listen.
A very good and to the point speech. Why most people (wrongly!) don't bother to vote outlined in a couple of minutes.
DeleteI too agree with both of the above. It did not need to be an earth shattering 'best speech ever', as it reflected simply and honestly what the man in the street is feeling and thinking. Quite simply we are fed up and have had enough, and the number of hits indicate the interest shown.
DeleteWell done Sam.
I have just noticed that Deputy Murray Norton appears to be morphing in to ex US President Richard Nixon. Try sticking photos of the pair next to each other and see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteWhatever triggered a very good, and clearly honest, but you have to say, hardly original speech about Jersey politics to go viral, it would surely be a good idea to try and replicate it on the subject of one of Jersey politic's biggest failings. The corruption that led to us needing a care inquiry. How about a short speech on the subject Deputy Mezec?
ReplyDeletePlease do not compare me with Murray Norton! Even I had some standards you know.
ReplyDeleteSchnozzle Norton a ' nosey ' useless excuse for a polly-'tishon'
DeleteDeputy Murray Nixon should be impeached for his abuse of that airport parking space. And Watergate.
ReplyDeleteBig thank you to Team Voice for asking these questions and reporting on this.
ReplyDeleteThe next election in Jersey is going to be completely different to any we have had before and it will be down to the power of the new media taking over influence from the "mainstream media". Good riddance, I say!
Looks like there might be only ITV and the Beeb left by then snigger, snigger, snigger. Bring back the old Jersey Sun newspaper. Filthy rag always was the mouthpiece for Greed Inc. Will not be missed or mourned.
DeleteI hope you can get a good number of quality candidates for next time Deputy. Then maybe things might start to really improve. Hope you are plotting your Reform target areas now. You certainly should be.
DeleteAbsolutely. We've got a handful of candidates who are building their profile now and in the new year we'll find ways of introducing them to the public as RJ members.
DeleteWe're also on the lookout for more candidates, so anyone interested should get in touch!
I bet the paying members of Unite are absolutely delighted to hear you're recruiting so many new candidates whose election campaigns they will partly have to fund in 2018. Will they be sent ballot papers (without having to separately pay to join Reform Jersey) in order to have some say on whether or not these candidates are good enough to receive their own cash?
Delete£4,101 this year to help you - a sitting States Member - try to change seats within the House, even though, given a free hand, you would abolish the position you were running for anyway. And the end result was failure, which proves it was money not well spent.
On that basis it could very easily cost the union £10k or more to make equal donations towards all Reform Jersey candidates in 2018. Maybe you should get Mr. Corbel to stand, just in case he's out of a job himself by then...
Re this video, which I can't be bothered to watch, as I make a rule of never, ever listening to politicians making speeches: Stevie Ocean is also very popular on the internet, apparently. Well that's two things you have in common then. The other one is that you both lost the by-election!
Jerry, as usual with your comments, a bit of research beforehand would save you the embarrassment (although in fairness you are usually oblivious to it).
DeleteUnite the Union periodically conducts a Union-wide referendum on whether it continues to have a political fund or not. Members keep democratically voting to keep it. In the UK a large portion of that fund automatically goes to the Labour Party. We don't have the Labour Party in Jersey, so the money just builds up in a pot which the local Unite Area Activists Committee (which any member can apply to join) determines what that money goes on and for some reason they keep voting to use it to partly fund the campaigns of union members who want to stand for election and stand up for union values. Funny that isn't it? A union backing it's own members to stand up for it's own values. Whatever will they think of next?
However, and here's the key bit Jerry, any union member who is not happy about their membership fee going to fund election candidates they don't like can opt-out. I encourage every union member who does not like my or Reform Jersey's politics to call up the local branch office and ask to opt-out of the political fund. It's your right after all.
Well, I say "it's your right". It's not YOUR right, is it Jerry? After all, you've referred to the union in the third person, rather than describing it as your own union. So, you're actually complaining about what other people do with their own money. Hmmmm.
Also, if you can't be bothered to watch the video, maybe don't bother commenting eh? Bragging about being ignorant of the subject you're talking about is really uncool.
When a States member gets the amount of hate-filled on line abuse that Deputy Mezec gets he must be doing something right. Just consider Stu and Trev before him. It is great that this speech has attracted so much attention and the more from off island the better. The wider world knowing how things haven't moved forward democratically since the time of William the Conq is what our establishment lords and masters hate most of all. Can you talk about the Bailiff and our bent courts next Deputy Mezec?
ReplyDeleteWill Deputy Richard Nixon be attending the Politics & a Pint session? I want to ask him about Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteI'm still the bailiff.
ReplyDeleteNo. That is William the KONK!
DeleteWell done Deputy Mezec for going viral. The sad thing is the two ex-DJs, Deputies Mclinton and Norton have also gone viral.... But for all the wrong reasons!?
ReplyDeleteDon't you mean that the two DJs are like a virus?
DeleteA sort of States form of Ebola?
DeleteJersey Ebola
DeleteThese shysters will leave you bleeding from every orifice
Great work Mr Mezec
ReplyDeleteIf I could leave you with the closing paragraph of Witness Statement (to CoI) of Ian Hamilton King
http://voiceforchildren.blogspot.com/2016/11/advocate-philip-sinel-interview.html?showComment=1480689207278#c3408239633868407905
23. "I am optimistic that Jersey is reaching a tipping point and that there will soon be more people who want to expose the establishment than who want to protect it. Once people begin to see things changing, more will come forward and the house of cards will eventually collapse."
I think we're reaching that point too. Especially with young people. The campaigns we have run recently have really struck a chord with teenagers who are too young to vote, but who will be old enough next time round. This has never happened before and, truth be told, I have no idea why it is happening, but it is.
DeleteProbably because they expect a future
DeleteThe concept of tensegrity structures as a metaphor for political self-supporting structures, in particular those related to corruption or 'hold over' effects, has been used by Senator Stuart Syvret (States of Jersey) to explain the persistence and ultimately weakness of such structures. Senator Syvret is quoted[citation needed] as saying 'I can sense a very large pair of bolt-croppers beginning to approach the cables of the Jersey corruption tensegrity structure'.
DeleteWhy would the JEP report on it when all that would do is highlight how much they are out of touch with open and honest communication of the issues with the public of Jersey. Why advertise and promote alternatives to the JEPravda when all its likely to do is make their readership dwindle even further?
ReplyDelete@Sam On another note don't get complacent, you need to stay in contact with the public and listen to what they say and really want. On which subject can you tell me why I got zero response to my email to you at Chairman@reformjersey.je proposing an outline of what I think is a viable student funding scheme with, relatively speaking, minimal cost to the public but many benefits to the economy, workforce, immigration, and students themselves?
JRCbean
The JEPaedo is finally sinking into the cesspit of it's own making:
Deletehttp://planetjersey.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4061.msg61176#msg61176
Perhaps they might survive if they published news instead of adverts and churnalism spin for the sinking establishment.
DeleteOh, here is a scoop for the ##Perverts :
www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=FbH0V4t05-_wB9S4o6AC#q=site:www.jerseycareinquiry.org+737
They must have stacks of fresh information on this guy
Here is a little taster:
www.jerseycareinquiry.org/Transcripts/Day%2081%20Documents%20Optimised%201.pdf
"1. I was born on ###### 1953 and am Jersey born and bred. My father was
an old Victorian disciplinarian.
2. At the age of 18 I worked for the States of Jersey. In order to assist my
mother who was having financial difficulties, I went for an interview for a job
at a ########################### The interview took place
around 6pm on a winter's evening when I went to the interview in ###########
The man who interviewed me was [737] I didn't know it at the
time but [737] was a ##### I wasn't particularly interested ######
at the time, but I do remember saying that ############# The
interview proceeded normally and towards the end I asked whether he would
consider paying me a lower wage and paying cash in hand: I wanted to help
my mother out of her financial difficulties and this seemed like a good
practical solution. I had no idea that it was not an acceptable thing to say, it
felt like the right thing to do at the time.
3. After I mentioned cash in hand told me that he thought 'we
could come to some sort of arrangement' and proceeded to violently rape
me. I mentioned something about reporting it, but [737 just laughed and
said 'Who would believe your word against that of a ######### .
After hearing that I didn't feel confident to report the incident.
4. I was in a terrible state when I left. My clothes were torn and I was
bloodstained. I walked to my next door neighbour's house as I wasn't
comfortable to go straight home and face my parents. My neighbour's name
was ##### When I knocked on the door her husband answered.
He exclaimed 'Oh my God' and went to get ######.
##### gave me some of clothes to wear so that I could go home.
5. I reported this incident much later on in my life and I will go on to talk more
about this later in my statement. I would be happy for the Inquiry to access
my police statement about this incident."
This is only one of many rape allegations against this establishment linchpin. He can do what he likes and is paid huge amounts of money. Even hi8s family can do as they like.
The ##Pervert !
It is not just children at risk on this island.
ReplyDeleteWould any able minded person, given the unprecedented success in Deputy Mezec's use of alternative media and message to the Incompetent Ministers, be surprised if drugs were found in his car at a routine road check, or sick porn was apprehended by the police with his address on it. Both of course not ordered or used by Deputy Mezec.
Do you think that power mad politicians and over paid chief executives want to give up their strangle hold on Jerseys' economy with all its millions and property because of a young long haired upstart politician with attitude ?
No doubt behind closed doors plans are being made as they were with ex Senator Syvret and the Ex police chief both guilty of nothing more than caring for the people and the position they held.
Any week now.
Doesn't take much imagination does it? Set up for an unloseable court case perhaps with a bent jurat waiting in the wings? Maybe even a secret court case allowing no defence witnesses? A roll-over suspension as a natural act banning him from the States? Old hat? What about the Deputy getting whacked over a speeding car's bonnet while out for a stroll, driver's ID then protected? Maybe a faked assault on despot minister in the facility room just before his next party conference, always a headline grabber in the JEP that one! Maybe 'problems' with his accounts? Bullet through the letterbox, sir. Next one by gun if you don't shut up. Or perhaps just let the establishment's pet psychotic troll hound him in to making some response he can then be arrested and disgraced for? All far fetched? Sadly not at all. Syvret, Shona and Trevor Pitman, Graham Power and Mike Higgins can all testify that under the Jersey Way this can all happen and has. Be on your guard Sam.
DeleteDon't overlook Sam risking helping a house-bound old lady to complete an application for a postal vote come the next election!
DeleteAlways a great opportunity for the Polit-Bureau to wheel out Commissar Clyde-Smith to lecture on how Jersey's Royal Court will not tolerate this sort of outrageous behaviour on behalf of the Bailhache brothers.
Unless you are batting for the status quo team obviously.
well done VFC for two excellent postings and interviews, it is good to have you back on the case, you have been missed.
ReplyDeleteGreat speech from Sam ,I agree with him totally. I have always tried to listen to the states debate especially question time, but if I was not free I missed the broadcast. Now with the televised recording there is an archive so one can watch the states sitting at any time. My observations are that Reform Jersey are putting up a great fight, articulate, informed, passionate, and contrast this to the politicians who sit there in silence. Watching the faces and body language of the other politicians is most revealing.
I would like to know how one can become a member of Reform Jersey, as in the UK one can join a political party.
A comment has been submitted (part of a victim's statement) that could help identify the alleged perpetrator. If the commenter would like to re-submit the comment redacting the phrase "xxxxpervert" then I would feel more comfortable in publishing it.
ReplyDeleteI have just read the response of the States Complaint Board to the response of the States Employment Board on the Dr Alwistry case. This is a damming inditement of the SEB, the senior civil servants of the hospital and the then solicitor general Howard Sharp. Bearing in mind that the SEB has Gorst, Green and Mclean as its members how can we have any faith in our senior politicians. This report is on the states website, could a link be provided?. I hope some tough questions will be asked in the states.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWhat the MInister of health Andrew Green sits on the SEB and finds in favour of healths management against Dr Alwistry, @13:44
The minutes ( should be on line ) must show that Andrew Green removed himself from the meeting other wise this shows that the SEB has completely lost the plot lead by the CM.
ReplyDeleteOffered in the comments section under the story of Community Gathers. Which way will the JEP jump, backwards or forwards with the story ?
JEP.
How pleasant to see a small community gather in the festive season at St Aubins.
When will the JEP be reporting on the local popular politician's speech in the States Chamber who has attracted a larger community of over 92,000 people including viewers from Guernsey and Isle of Man
Why 82% ( JEP poll ) think the Council of ministers are going in the wrong direction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX72wYwQKi0
Isle of Man reporting and interviewing the Deputy.
Isle of Man News - MTTV, uploaded on 03 December 2016
http://www.manx.net/tv/mt-tv/watch/81348/jersey-states-on-tv
Is a simple broadcast absorbed by 92,000, not so far newsworthy by the JEP when their figures were quoted in the short speech ?
Read more at http://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2016/12/05/the-community-gathers-as-the-lights-go-on-at-st-aubin/#comments#qYim82tZLmOHBgMZ.99
SCB latest report in reply to SEB
ReplyDeleteLink
Have just read the SCB's report.
ReplyDeleteThese guys are heroes. The clearest indictment possible of "The Jersey Way". Are these not the same guys who forced ILM to give Graham Power the explosive meta data that he had been consistently refused by the authorities?
Is the SCB the only properly functioning institution on the island, and if so, how long more can they last?
Polo.
DeleteYes it was, although it was former Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur, who was resisting the release of the meta data (not ILM) which subsequently proved there was skullduggery if not criminality involved with the establishment's version of events.
The Chairman of the particular Complaints Board Panel that ruled the truth should be told is now a member of the States; Deputy RICHARD RENOUF.
Is he still one of the good guys?
ReplyDeleteHe has aired some progressive views but when push comes to shove I suspect he is supportive of the establishment.
DeleteRumour has it that the new LG is a different league from the outgoing one , if that were possible.This one IS VERY important and will need fresh seagulls killed for his hat.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the old Idi Amin joke. " Mr President why do you have such finery ?" Because my doctor has said I was impotent and if I am impotent I is goin to look impotent.
Polo asked the question above "Is the SCB (States Complaints Board) the only properly functioning institution on the island, and if so, how long more can they last?"
ReplyDeleteWell, that's a very interesting question. The rules are worth a read http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/AssemblyCommitteeReports/2006/42851-33640.pdf
This is a rare case of the SCB issuing a second report, in which they say:
"The present case is one of the worst examples of a public authority disregarding fundamental principles of fairness and contract law that this Board has seen in the long collective experience of the 3 members. The fact that SEB and the Hospital apparently cannot grasp this basic point is deeply worrying. It is a matter for which they ought to be censured"
"It is also clearly nonsense. Even if it is correct that a member of staff has made telephone calls and writes lots of e-mails to other members of staff which, although related to work matters, do not follow the formal chain of command, the thought that this would justify sacking him or her summarily, without any attempt being made to address the behaviour or taking appropriate disciplinary steps or allowing the decision to be the subject of an appeal, is absurd. If that is what SEB actually believes, it should be censured for it."
The rules say "It is a matter for the Committee or any individual member to bring a proposition to the States in relation to the decision, act or omission that was the subject of the complaint."
Note that there was a scheduled meeting of the Privileges and Procedures Committee on Tuesday 6th December. I would be amazed if the SCB's report had not been on PPC's agenda on 6th December. Although this is Jersey, where bureaucracy rules, and there is every chance it will be kicked into the long grass until after Christmas...
Frankly, if the Chair of PPC, or an individual member, does not come to the States next week proposing a vote of censure in the States Employment Board, then either members of PPC should resign, or the States Complaints Board should resign. We can't have this polite hovering around one another while hundreds of thousands of pounds are wasted on dysfunctional government. Something MUST HAPPEN as a result of this terrible mess.
PPC members:
Connétable Leonard Norman
Connétable Deidre Wendy Mezbourian
Senator Philip Francis Cyril Ozouf
Connétable Christopher Hugh Taylor
Deputy Judith Ann Martin
Deputy Samuel Yves Mezec
Deputy Simon Muir Bree
States Employment Board members
Senator Ian Joseph Gorst
Senator Andrew Kenneth Francis Green M.B.E. (also the Health Minister, so totally conflicted, in the real world...)
Senator Alan John Henry Maclean
Connétable Juliette Gallichan
Constable Michel Philip Sydney Le Troquer
After Sam Mezec's viral speech this week, then frankly, if the PPC as a whole do not bring a vote of censure, then surely Deputy Mezec must?
"States Employment Board members
DeleteSenator Ian Joseph Gorst
Senator Andrew Kenneth Francis Green M.B.E. (also the Health Minister, so totally conflicted, in the real world...)
Senator Alan John Henry Maclean
Connétable Juliette Gallichan
Constable Michel Philip Sydney Le Troquer"
There is not one amongst those who is not either a waste of space or a total brown noser. Some being both!
Again the "Jersey way" does not protect Jersey - it protects only the shysters who should have been flushed away long ago.
Part two of our interview discussing the "pint and politics" evening and "The Donald Trump Effect" has now been published HERE.
ReplyDeleteFor the reader keen to have his/her comments published regarding what "viral" does, or doesn't, mean.
ReplyDeleteThe reason your comment(s) was/were deemed unsuitable for publication is because it is what's commonly known as "tittle-tattle" and represents a real danger of bringing the comments section into a low level of uninformative dribble. If you want to have comments published which contain tittle-tattle and dribble then at least have the courage of your convictions and post under your own name so those comments can be attributed to you. Attacking people with tittle tattle anonymously is commonly known as "Trolling."
There is an element of cowardice to this anonymous trolling so if you want these kinds of comments published you will have to do it under your own name.