sorry

Senator Stuart Syvret gives his reaction to Health Minister Jimmy Perchard's apology..........to the States!

I have e-mailed Senator Perchard and got no reply. I have since phoned Senator Perchard and offered him an unedited interview in order to put across a fair and balanced report. Senator Perchard has explained to me that he deserves the right to privacy. He will not be doing an interview with the JEP, CTV, or BBC Jersey or me on this subject. He further believes, what he said to Senator Syvret in the States, was "a private conversation" and does not agree with me, that when he is in a States sitting he is there representing the public from the minute he walks in the door to the minute he walks out of it.

Senator Perchard maintains he has been "misquoted" When I asked him "what did you say to Senator Syvret"? he wouldn't tell me - quoting the "privacy" sketch.

He was also asked for a written statement (in the interest of fairness and balance) for this item but he refused this also. Below is the e-mail sent to Senator Perchard and below that is Senator Syvret's response to the apology............ all be it to the States.

For what it is worth Senator Perchard was very civil and courteous on the phone to me this morning and did appear remorseful of his comments (whatever they were.) On that note I got talking to a lady in the Royal Square, who's child committed suicide 5 years ago, she told me she had been "traumatised" by Senator Perchard's comments to Senator Syvret.

I would like to remind Senator Perchard he does have "an avenue of reddress" should he wish to leave a comment on here or any other Blog, including Senator Syvret's.

The e-mail to Senator Perchard.

Senator Perchard.

We are writing in order to give you the opportunity to respond to claims made , about you, by Senator Syvret. We have recorded an interview with Senator Syvret where he claims you encouraged him to "go top himself". He has also given us (on camera) his response to your apology yesterday in the States. I understand you believe you have no avenue of reddress to any of Senator Syvret's postings on his Blogsite. We would like to offer you that avenue should you wish to take it.

Also it is in the interest of fairness and balance that we should offer you the opportunity to give your side of events, not only for your benefit but for the benefit of our viewers. The Senator Syvret interview will be published tomorrow afternoon. Should you agree to an interview we would hope for it to be some time tomorrow.

Kind Regards.

Team Voice.
End e-mail.

I have had problems getting this video on here so have gone via youtube so the "aboves" and "belows" will now be a little a-se about face because I can't seem to get the text above the video without losing the video when I have gone through youtube.

The Quest continues...........

Question asked by Deputy Montford Tadier to Deputy James Reed Minister for Education Sport and Culture.

ORAL QUESTION FOR TUESDAY 10TH MARCH 2009



Deputy M. Tadier of St Brelade will ask the following question of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture-


“Can the Minister inform the Assembly whether any senior officers in the Education, Sport and Culture Department are subject to Police investigations pertaining to child abuse and, if so, whether such investigations have been terminated?”

The question never got asked in the States due to question time running over. However Deputy James Reed submitted a written "answer" and here it is!

Sir

At present I am unable to either confirm or deny whether I have received or am aware of any disclosures pertaining to any police investigations in relation to any employees at Education Sport and Culture.
Police investigations are confidential until such time as a decision is made whether or not to charge an individual. In certain circumstances the Police may decide it is appropriate to make a disclosure to an employer about an investigation however such a disclosure is classed as confidential and the employer would not be able to disclose this information to another party.

As a result of the above, I am unable to comment further on this matter.

My question is "how is a parent supposed to have trust and faith in our goverment with "answers" like that?

Deputy Tadier gives his response to the "answer" (in the video below) and it is worrying to say the least! The Deputy suspects there could be a senior officer in the Education Department that could be a suspect in the recent child abuse inquiry.

I share the Deputy's suspicion. Although I, and I believe the Deputy, have no proof that this is the case. It is extremely alarming that the Minister will do nothing to dispell these suspicions and doesn't appear too concerned about the message he could be sending out to parents of children in the Education System.

I am waiting for Deputy Reed to contact me with a time and date that he can meet with me. When (if) he contacts me I will ask him, in the interest of fairness and balance, to give me an interview with his response to Deputy Tadiers interview.

In the meantime my sleepless nights and quest continues.

Scrutiny.....what's the point?

Following on from my last Blog below;

The letter from the public could not be addressed by the Scrutiny Panel, something to do with “not being in their remit to get involved in personal cases”! However an edited version of the letter , or question, will be asked in the States by Deputy of St Brelade Montford Tadier who is also a member of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel. The question to the Minister for Education Sport and Culture will read “Can the Minister inform the Assembly whether any senior officers in the Education, Sport and Culture Department are subject to Police investigations pertaining to child abuse and, if so, whether such investigations have been terminated?”

I really must try and explain, to my readers, the experience of going to one of these Scrutiny meetings. It is like walking into to a land of make believe and to my mind a complete waste of time and tax payers money.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by this;

The Scrutiny chairman said to the Chief Officer of Education, Mario Lundy, something along the lines of, "there appears to be, what could be described by some, as a significant increase in the number of pupils being suspended from school"? To which Mario Lundy replied, something along the lines of, "yes but what is important to remember that those numbers include repeat offenders".......... "there are possibly a select few, or more, that are repeatedly offending and repeatedly being suspended".

Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to come up with the question to Mario Lundy "have you ever thought that suspending these children (repeat offenders) is not working"? On that Scrutiny Panel there is somewhere in the region of £420,000 P.A. of tax payers money (5 States Members, Department C.O. and 3 Scrutiny staff) and none of the "Scrutineers" could come up with completely obvious and crucial questions!

Furthermore Mario Lundy said, something along the lines of, "suspended children are catered for, educationally, while they are suspended". Which I take to mean they are given "homework" etc. so their education is not hindered by their suspension. That, in my opinion, is a complete load of Tosh, I know of children who have been suspended, been given no schoolwork, and relished their time off school! Which is possibly evident by the "repeat offenders".

We must also look at the "teeth" of Scrutiny. Let's just suppose Scrutiny come up with a completey damning report, or review, on a particular Ministry or policy of that Ministry. Scrutiny has no legislative power. As a Scrutiny panel (as I understand it) they can't even bring that damning report to the States, they will have to try and bring it as an individual States member! Then any propositions, recommendations, or amendments will be voted on by the Oligarchy, and others, and experience tells me the vote will go "the establishment way"

What is just as frustrating is (to the best of my knowledge) none of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel have children in the school system. I have two children in the system and have first hand knowledge of the Education Department's "practices" and could quite easily expose, what I believe to be, failings, and ommissions by the Education Department. But as a member of public I am not permitted to take part in any of the meetings.

Not only do I believe the public ought to be permitted to participate at these meetings I believe there should be a member of the public, with first hand knowledge, on the Scrutiny Panel.

Our Oligarchy's "war cry" is "States Members are easily accessible, you can phone them or e-mail them if you have any issues you wish to be addressed" in theory that is true you can phone them or e-mail them. But in practice they often don't answer their phones, return your calls or answer your e-mails. If they do reply to an e-mail they completely ignore the most significant questions or topics you wish to be addressed.

A Scrutiny Panel meeting could be an ideal opportunity for the general public to have their issues addressed by the relevant Minister or Chief Officer, but that runs the risk of exposing, not only the Minister and Chief Officer and their Department but also the risk of exposing the Scrutiny Panel as inconsequential and inept.

I know I have been somewhat harsh on the Education Scrutiny Panel as a whole. As individual States members however I believe they (or most) are productive, hard working States Members.

I know Deputy Roy Le Herissier (chairman of Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel) is a reader of this Blog. I also know he supports Citizens Media (for which I respect him) and would invite him to comment here on my observations and criticisms.

Scrutiny Questions, Education Answers?

The following letter has been submitted to the Education and Home affairs Scrutiny Panel which meets this Friday 6th March 2009 in the States Building at 3pm. Members of the public can attend (but can not video) see here http://voiceforjersey.blogspot.com/2009/03/scruitiny-v-free-speechthe-battle-for.html

This is the cotinuation of the Panel meeting which was attended by the Minister for Education Sport and Culture Deputy James Reed and his Chief officer Mario Lundy for which the matter of suspensions was on the agenda. That meeting overran on time and so is resumed on Friday.

Copy of letter submitted;

Dear Deputy.

Can you please ask the Minister for Education whether he is aware of any continuing Police investigations regarding a senior officer in his Department or whether such investigations have been terminated?

You will know because you asked certain questions in the States in October 2008 that a Senior Officer had recieved a Police "Disclosure Notice" and it is a matter of considerable public concern that this officer might still be in position preparing and administering Education Policies.

Since the nature of the alleged offences was concerned with "child abuse" and the (then) Chief Minister gave assurances that the matter would "be taken very seriously indeed" and that "a risk analysis of what action should be taken" would be undertaken, it must now be reasonable to ask if any action has been taken or is proposed to be taken, with regard to this employee?

I obviously won't need to remind you that the (then) Chief Minister also gave assurances that "the priority is always to protect the interest of the public and vulnerable clients".

Letter end.

It is quite normal for letters from the public to the Scrutiny Panels to be submitted and discussed at these meetings. VFC/VFJ will keep you informed............

Hospital Consultant had serious concerns about integrity of Mr Pollard, CEO of Health

Recently retired Hospital Consultant, Dr Gil Blackwood, reveals he had raised serious concerns about the integrity of the Health service CEO, Mr Pollard, with the then Minister of Health, Senator Ben Shenton, and his Deputy, then Deputy Jimmy Perchard.

Dr Gil Blackwood had worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist since 2003 before his retirement in March 2008. In January 2008 he took his concerns to the recently appointed Minister of Health and his Deputy. Although his concerns covered a number of incidents, which Voice for Children may cover in depth at a later date, they focussed one specific serious allegation, which could be relatively easily checked.

This concerned the resignation of a deputy CEO of Health in December 2005. This resignation was announced in the JEP. Dr Blackwood is concerned that the Deputy CEO has told him that she had never resigned. According to the newspaper article their source was the then Minister of Health, Senator Stuart Syvret. According to Senator Syvret his source was Mr Pollard. Mr Pollard has been silent on his source.



Dr Blackwood left the meeting with the two Senators (Perchard and Shenton) expecting that they were going to check whether there was a letter of resignation, as both Senators had agreed that it was inconceivable that one had not existed. He still considers that the extensive doubts about this matter should be cleared up by locating that letter, if it exists..........or has it been shredded?

Doctor Gil Blackwood part 2

Who Are they?

The "Independent" Advisory Group have resigned. I have just learnt on the local BBC "news" they were set up to be the liason between the community and the "historic" child abuse police investigation team.

Before I get to that, I would like to know just who exactly assembled this team in the first place? I thought it was the chief ministers office but apparently the police assembled them. So why? and under who's suggestion/direction?

If they were supposed to be the liason between the community and the "historic" abuse team, why is it, - to the best of my knowledge - they never held a press conference, released a press statement, or indeed "liased" with the community? What did they achieve? Was it money well spent? and more interestingly, how were they chosen?

If we had even a half competent media over here none of these questions would need answering let alone the other couple of hundred questions that arise from this group and it's members. One of whom is Caron Kanavan chairman of the "independent" review board. I'll not say too much about her just now as she will be the subject of her very own Blog in the not too distant future.........."independent"?

If anybody can shed any light on this group I would be most grateful to learn. As things stand it is my belief they are a product of yet another hair brained idea concocted by our previous Chief Minister in order to keep the child abuse investigation under his control.

I believe there is a massive can of worms to be opened just by scratching the surface of the "Independent" Advisory Group and it's members. But alas I fear now that the little sounbite we have been given which - passes as "news" over here - we'll not hear too much more about it.

On a different note I shall be publishing an "indepth" interview with Senator Freddie Cohen on http://voiceforjersey.blogspot.com/ very soon. I have had the interview on film for a couple of days but it is 28 mins long so needs some serious editing to get it to a short enough piece to put on the Blog and will put the fuller version on Youtube. Unfortunately my editor has taken ill but will hopefully be firing on all cylinders in the next couple of days.

So if anybody has any answers to my questions on the "I"A G or, for that matter, any questions of their own I would love to hear them.

Blog direction.

Regular reader(s) of VFC will have noticed a slight shift in direction of it's content. This has happened unintentionally and is just part of a natural progression.

I never thought for a minute, when I started this Blog, that I would become aware of such, in my opinion, disgraceful goings on with our goverment and local media and quite honestly wish I never did become aware.

I had seriously considered giving up Blogging altogether, for a number of reasons not least because of the threats I have recieved which have esculated to threats to my children. I have had to think long and hard, wrestle with my concience and do some serious soul searching.

Why would I want to carry on Blogging after recieving threats to my children?.....good question! Well I believe my children are in harms way for as long as this government are in power and if I say or do nothing about it that would make me as guilty of cover-up and concealment as our "ruling elite".

It came down to one question, what can I live with easier,...............fear or guilt? fear that I am Jeopardizing my childrens welfare by speaking out, or the guilt of knowing what I know and doing nothing about it. I chose fear, I can live with that a little easier than I can live with guilt and keeping my mouth shut would not guarantee my children's well being.

So back to the direction of this Blog! I would like it to concentrate predominantly on giving a voice to the voiceless and exposing the failings of our childcare system. Now that we have a new Minister for Education Sport and Culture and he has had time to settle in to his new post I intend on striking up a dialogue with him and hope he will provide me with answers to questions the previous Minister failed to.

One of my fears is there have been allegations that a senoir civil servant in Education Sport and Culture is allegedly under suspicion or is a suspect in the ongoing "historic" child abuse investigation and remains in his post. I have absolutely no proof that these allegations hold any merit. The reason I have no proof, one way or the other, is because the said civil servant will not reply to my e-mails or meet with me, and when I asked the previous Minister for a comfimation or denial of these allegations I was told "the States have a duty of care to their employees" and failed to put my mind at ease by allowing me to believe there could be some truth in the allegations.

So this Blog will get back on track and hopefully be a "Voice for children" and parents alike.

My new Blog http://voiceforjersey.blogspot.com/ came about as the natural progression. I was becoming more and more frustrated and curious as to why our local media appeared very selective as to what they would or wouldn't publish/broadcast and indeed the way they published or broadcast certain subjects.

After being approached by a few people we decided to get together and offer some alternative media to the online community and start asking questions our local "journalists" don't or won't. It is still very much in it's early stages but all going to plan we have some rather big names in local politics who have agreed to an "indepth" interview on camera. http://voiceforjersey.blogspot.com/ will cover, when possible, current affairs and hopefully report on subjects that you don't see in our local media, or at the very least, give an alternative view.

It's good to be back!

suspensions.............Guilt or Innocence?

Karen Huchet believes suspension is Not a neutral act and now Deputy Roy Le Herissier agrees.

Are standards on suspension different for a chief of police to a senior civil servant,or a bus driver? Can there be a common standard for everybody or are some people more equal than others?

I am totally confused! Did the States of Jersey suspend Chief Police Officer Graham Power because they believe he is guilty of something, or is it a neutral act? Can suspension ever be justified? What is the purpose of suspension? Why can't Graham Power or any of these people remain in post pending inquiries?

Woolworth scandal latest part 2

Ann Marie Le Bloas speaking for the now redundant Woolworth's workers outside the St Helier store.........

The question still remains - "where has all the money gone"? With all our finance centre expertise and our "open and transparent government" why does nobody appear to know the answer?

And where are our Ministers? The ex Woolworth's staff need as much support as we can give them. They are holding a public meeting in the Royal Square Tuesday 20th of January at 9.30am - be there if you can.

Woolworth scandal latest

Woolworth staff have been forced to occupy the premises as Senator Alan Breckon explains............

But it is still uncertain whether the workers will recieve any money unlike their colleagues in the Isle of Man who are guarenteed to be paid out.

Mystery also surrounds the role of "Hilco" the administrators apparently engaged by Delloittes and whether there are any Woolworths assets in Jersey which could be sold for the benefit of the ex employees or other Jersey creditors.

Deputy Hill Calls Time on Crown Officers?

Deputy Bob Hill, tireless campaigner for Human Rights has lodged a proposition to the States of Jersey for an "independent" review into the roles of the Balliff, the Lt Governor, The Attorney General, The Solicitor General and the Dean of Jersey.

This proposition echoes much of the Clothier report - you remember that report the one which cost the tax payer £234,481.83.!! which led us to Ministerial Government but told us not to cherry pick its recommendations as it would not work.

This proposition will be one step closer to a democracy and deserves the backing of our elected "representitives" I shall be lobbying my States members to back it and would urge my readers to do likewise.

On another note I would like to thank Deputy Hill not only for his proposition and tireless work on Human Rights issues but for showing his support for Blogging and Citizens Media by agreeing to be filmed.

A tribute to Haut De La Garenne Survivors

To all the victims of child abuse, past present and future your voice will be heard!!

I cannot begin to imagine the torture and torment you have been/are going through.

As this might be my last Blog I couldn't think of a better one to end on. I would like to thank ozzyuk1961 for uploading the video to youtube from where I got it.

The New Education Sport and Culture Minister.

Firstly I would like to thank Mr.Reed for taking the time out to answer my questions therefore engaging with the electorate and showing himself to be accessable. I am a little less impressed with his evasive answers this is more than likely just as much my fault as it is his.



I never think for a minute that one of our elected "representatives" will actually stop and talk to me especially on camera. So I have to think on my feet when they do! As I have always maintained I am not a journalist, I am a father who is worried for his children's safety at the hands of this government and am only having a go at journalism because I have become so disselusioned with what passes as "journalism" over here.



By contrast Mr.Reed was "interviewed" by our local BBC not seconds before he spoke with me on camera. It will be interesting to compare my "interview" with their's and see who asked Mr.Reed the questions the public might want asked. After all isn't that a "journalists" job?



I know I was going to have Senator Terry (GST28) LeMain as my next Blog subject but the film I have of him will take some editing which is a little beyond my capability at the minute but do hope to have a finished item by the middle of next week.



Once again I would like to thank Mr.Reed for giving me his time, as did Mr.Le Sueur who will both be going in my "hall of fame" I will also have a "hall of shame" which will consist of prominant figures who not only refuse to give me an interview but in some cases "leg it" more about that in a later post.



In order to gauge if I am starting to get things right in a "journalistic" sense please vote on my poll, if you prefer my interview with Mr.Reed or if you prefer the BBC'S.

Chief Minister Le Sueur

Yesterday we saw an election for a new chief minister. It was a very predicatble outcome and possibly for most, including myself, not a very welcome one! However one must give credit where credit is due.

Chief Minister Terry (GST28) Le Sueur has been on a bit of a platform of engaging with the public, listening to the public etc. And if I am to be honest I did not believe one word of it. As my regular reader(s) will be aware I have tried to engage with a number of our politicians on camera, none of which have been very accommodating. Indeed I tried to engage with Senator Terry (GST28) Le Main on camera yesterday and I will be posting that encounter as my next Blog.

As you will see, although my journalistic skills still may leave something to be desired, Chief Minister Terry (GST28) Le sueur engaged with me, entertained me, or humoured me. He didn't run away from me and answered my questions.

So like I have said "credit where credit is due" Let's hope other establishment figures will take a leaf out of his book and start to recognise citizen's media is here, it is growing, and is influential.

Respect to you Cheif Minister It's a good start.