"Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne tells the extraordinary story of the child abuse scandal that erupted on the idyllic island of Jersey in 2007. For a long time, the victims’ voices had remained unheard, but when widespread allegations of sexual abuse resurfaced in the late 2000s, Jersey’s then health minister Stuart Syvret spoke out about the scale of this historic child abuse and the damage done to the victims.
Syvret’s words sparked a moment of reckoning for the small community, whose leaders were determined to protect the island’s reputation, home to a trillion dollars in offshore investment. This discreet offshore tax haven found itself in the middle of a major police investigation as the world’s media descended on the island, creating a media circus. In the midst of all this, the community became divided, with one group fearful that the scandal would drive investors away, and another demanding justice for the victims.
As bitterness and enmity drag on and the press desert Jersey, two unlikely bloggers decide to reignite the smouldering, unresolved issues. Teaming up with former police officers, survivors and supporters, they fight for the voices of the survivors to be heard, digging up past evidence and recording first-hand testimonials. In the process, they force the island to confront its past."
Monday 15th March 2021 10pm
So many people on the island took enormous risks to appear in this documentary -- including you, Neil. So many lives have been destroyed by what happened at HDLG, but you cannot destroy people's voices. Or hearts. Here's to blogging, documentary and journalism and here's to the many stories yet to tell. They will come. Brava. And...stay safe.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely comment Unknown. And here's to this trillion dollar documentary, those in it and the children they're speaking for.
DeleteAnd here's to blogging. Let's hope this re-wakens the excellent and informative Jersey blogs that have always been light years ahead of the MSM. Best wishes and thanks to all involved.
Never let this story die until justice is fully done, all the perpetrators are held to account and this sad and shameful episode is never repeated.
ReplyDeleteBack in November 2008 - when the Jersey Mob illegally suspended the good Police Chief Graham Power - they never imagined - for one second - they were in fact lighting a fire that was ultimately going to burn them down; that this firestorm was only going to grow.
ReplyDeleteI'm very pleased to have assisted in the making of this film.
But I want everyone to recognise - and know - especially our enemies - this is not an ending. This is a beginning.
To quote Glenn Kirschner - "Justice matters".
Stuart Syvret
Journalist, historian, international anti-mafia activist.
Looking forward to seeing it here in Ireland. We're geoblocked from the BBC player on the internet and I don't have cable, but I'm sure it will surface elsewhere at some stage.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all who contributed to it in good faith.
Polo, can't you watch it via a VPN app?
DeleteI don't have television, but have arranged to watch it with friends at their house.
Stuart
Excellent news. Not happy about the BBC being involved but just the fact that this film has been made demonstrates how right the few good guys (and gals) were to stand up to be counted. Well done Neil and Rico, the Berstein and Woodwood of the Channel Islands.
ReplyDeleteAs I said above - everyone who follows The-Jersey-Situation - good - and bad - need to be objective in their understanding of the fact that the production of this film does not represent any kind of "end".
ReplyDeleteRather, it signals the inevitable start of a new phase in the war - by international civil-society - against the Jersey Mob and their protectors.
Other things are happening, behind the scenes. Things that were, in truth, always an inevitable consequence of the incredibly stupid - and plainly psychopathic - set of decisions and course-of-conduct the Jersey establishment chose to embark upon in attempting to maintain the child-abuse cover-ups. And the other cover-ups.
Sometimes I'm asked if there's a silent-majority in the Jersey Establishment, perhaps most of the finance industry, who would greatly prefer Jersey cleaned-up its OWN mess, and stability and respectability were maintained?
I always have to say, "I don't know. So far, there's never been any indication that there is. It's always a deafening silence."
IF - IF - there is such a respectable silent majority, let me explain to them a core, central fact that is seen - by the law-enforcement agencies of other nations - when they look at Jersey.
Today - they see - for example a "prosecution" system and a "judicial" system that played the core, driving role in the illegal suspension of a Police Chief.
They see the captured - politicised - police force then being illegally used to oppress and suppress opposition politicians.
And - most of all - they see the stark fact that the London - Monarch - appointed head of the "legislature" and "judiciary" on Jersey - the present "Bailiff" - was the Crown Officer "legal-advisor" in that months-long conspiracy to illegally suspend the Police Chief - and that when he was Solicitor General he was instrumental in the Jersey legislature being lied to.
And this man is now the “Chief Justice” on Jersey.
This is how The-Jersey-Situation is seen by the F.B.I and similar organisations.
If there is a ‘respectable silent majority' on Jersey - they need to face up to the fact that this unsustainable state-of-affairs - is getting cleaned-up.
One way. Or another.
The necessary radical changes will, naturally, seem deeply unattractive to the Jersey establishment.
But they have to understand - they will find the alternative a great deal more unattractive.
When the full truth is revealed, the great majority of the Jersey Establishment will be left shaking their heads - asking themselves how their system - their lucrative key industry - was imperilled and and brought into jeopardy - all for the unlawful shielding of a handful of the most vile, low, criminal street-scum?
Jersey’s biggest problem? There is no-one in the wheel-house.
Unless someone takes some initiative - and soon - the ship will be on the rocks.
Stuart Syvret
Investigative journalist, historian, international anti-mafia activist.
Good evening Mr Syvret, I have followed the Jersey story for some time. I'm pleased to be able to reach out to you and just say how much I admire your tenacity and resilience in this matter, above all your bravery against what seems to be an insurmountable structure...structures rot in the end!
DeleteStuart
ReplyDeleteIt's not just child abuse, it's financial abuse as well, and its cover up. Isn't it amazing that, in what he describes as a straightforward fraud case, lawyer Philip Sinel had to go to a US court to get justice for his client?
Indeed.
DeleteThe thing which amazes me - has done throughout the whole Jersey-Situation - is the apparent complete absence of "wise-heads" - of "leadership" on the part of the Jersey Establishment.
Sometimes organisations become imperiled from within - by dangerous mavericks who are off-the-leash, and completely out-of-control.That was plainly the situation on the island from the very beginning of The-Jersey-Situation in 2007.
Resilient organisations have systems and methods in place to shield themselves from the risks and threats posed to the organisation by maverick toxic individuals.
The Jersey system?
Tumbleweed.
What we see dominating on Jersey is a kind of toxic amalgam of Bystander Effect, GroupThink, and Diffusion-of-Responsibility.
To this day, there's zero sign of the necessary leadership.
The hour's getting late.
Stuart Syvret
Investigative journalist, historian, international anti-mafia activist.
Child abuse in Jersey: a filmmaker’s search for the WHOLE TRUTH.
ReplyDelete"As bitterness and enmity dragged on and the press deserted Jersey, two unlikely bloggers decided to reignite the unresolved ISSUES."
ReplyDeleteThoughts from the documentary:
ReplyDeleteA little on the lie from Andrew Lewis could have been made as that would have been an indication of how far up the tree the cover up went.
And who were these people contacting Frank Walker demanding Graham Power's head?
The Beano is Not The Rag
It wasn't as explosive as I was expecting it to be but some of it was enlightening. You've done all you can and you have been great, but time you took a break away from it all and relaxed. X
ReplyDeleteYou came across very well in the film. Overall though I too was disappointed. You would think from this that nothing really happened between about 2009/10 and the abuse inquiry. To me that is where the real battle raged.
DeleteLooking forward to substantive comments on the programme here as I am geo-blocked from watching it live or on the player.
ReplyDeletePolo.
DeleteHope to interview Lenny Harper this afternoon. The documentary is now on YouTube and can be viewed HERE.
Thanks Neil. Have just watched it. I'll need time to absorb it and think about it. That's the problem with knowing too much.
DeleteAt a surface level it is good it was broadcast if it keeps the issue alive though it is now too late, I think for any follow up via the courts. 2008 is a lot of years ago and many people have since died.
As for the balance, it was more a recap than an investigation. There was little new in it, to me at any rate.
Maybe a Netflix series from the point of view of the investigators and the victims would have time to bring out more.
I felt too much credence was given to Walker, Perchard, the two new cops, and Rose. Though it did to some extent bring out the absolute priority accorded to the financial sector over everything else.
There was, as I expected, no critical look at the Jersey media which was complicit in the cover up. And no indication of the way the Jersey legal system was bent, particularly in the case of Stuart Syvret.
There was also an onscreen comment left hanging that a police report had been critical of Graham Power. I don't know if that was a reference to Wiltshire or the MET but it was certainly out of context.
The Inquiry would have merited some analysis but its conclusions were at least useful.
Anyway lots to think about.
Polo.
DeleteI've had to watch it twice and to be fair it was a completely different film (for the better) the second time round.
Just interviewed Lenny where some of your points (particularly the discredited and disgraced Wilts report criticising Graham) were discussed.
Hope to publish later today.
Sorry, forgot to click notify me.
ReplyDeleteMuch better than expected. Balanced and fair with everybody giving their views without the usual nastiness
ReplyDeleteBut James Perchard was a twat.
Well done Leah Goodman and the BBC.
This whole sorry saga was needed with some proper balance and it was finally put to bed last night.
Perchard given far too much time on screen for someone who was a minor player aside from his terrible abuse of Stuart. The film did need to show that this wasn't just Stuart, Lenny and Graham though and it didn't do that for me.
DeleteIf I recall correctly, Jimmy Perchard strongly opposed the investigation at Haute de la Garenne. There are also reports of unexplained lime pits being dug clandestinely in the grounds of Haute de la Garenne, in the dead of night. It is also true that the Perchard family have operated a dairy farm not far from Haute de la Garenne for decades. The farm was shown in the film. He said in the film "My family has farmed on Jersey for generations" whilst stroking some Jersey cows.
DeleteThis is my hypothesis. I suggest that there might have been an outbreak of disease in Jersey cows that the dairy industry needed to cover up. Something like TB, or BSE, or foot and mouth disease. I imagine some vet said to some farmer "Dig some pits, put the carcasses in, cover them with lime, the lime will decompose the carcasses. Even better, do it in the grounds of HdlG which is not agricultural land, so it will never cause us a future problem, and nobody will ask too many questions. Especially not those kids."
That is a credible explanation for the lime pits. We all know how bad it looks to see piles of burning cattle; the UK and Europe had this problem in the 90s with the foot and mouth outbreak. It's really bad for tourism, and really bad for the image of the famed Jersey cow. Anyone taking this course of action would literally be burying the problem, in the dead of night.
To my knowledge, nobody has ever asked Jersey dairy farmers what they know about the disposal of diseased cattle in lime pits at Haut de la Garenne. There has to be some explanation for the lime pits. Nobody digs pits, fills the bottom with lime, then comes back the next date to complete filling them in, all just for fun, do they?
I'm not suggesting for one minute that the Perchard dairy herd suffered such a problem, but I would be interested in Jim Perchard's opinion, what with him being an experienced farmer and all that, as to whether a credible method of quietly disposing of diseased cattle would be by burying them in lime pits in the grounds of a children's home, no questions asked?
another brilliant piece exposing the seedy underbelly of jersey. I wanted to thank again those who were instrumental in bringing this to light, Neil - Rico - Stuart and countless others who continued to pursue justice. And Damn thoose who seek to push it under the carpet and pretend it didnt happen.
ReplyDeleteI dont think a day goes by when I dont think of you all and how instumental you were in bringing this to light - and at great personal sacrifice. And ther is nothing I can say that could repay the debt of gratitude expect to say that I love you all like family - because thats what families do - protect each other and look out for each other.
The documentary is a great piece of work, Neil. You, Rico, Stuart, Graham, Lenny, Carrie, Wendy and all the other good guys should be very proud.
ReplyDeleteI am very proud of you.
My only criticism is that you and your mate should be wearing a life jacket at all times when out fishing on your boat :-)
FW & JP prime candidates for new Reality TV Real D/Heads of Jersey
ReplyDeleteExclusive interview with former SIO Lenny Harper discussing last night's "Dark Secrets of a Trillion Dollar Island: Garenne" DOCUMENTARY.
ReplyDeleteDoes the name Lord Lloyd of Kilgerran mean anything to Jersey Survivors please.
ReplyDelete