Friday 30 January 2009

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.

9 comments:

  1. good for you vfm. At last some decent honest reporting. I take my hat off to you

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  2. It seems to me that the IAG was set up by Mr Harper & Mr Power, rather than Walker. Then when Mr Harper & Mr Power were ousted, Warcup, (new in Police command?), felt as though they could be more trouble than they were worth, so they were ignored. Thats my opinion.

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  3. The Truth is coming, Stuart has talked to the JEP & they should be printing it today.!
    Your right I didn't know about this IAG Group, wot a wast of time that was. WE here about them went they disband.
    Like your new direction, we needed some on this side to give us the interviews that have meaning & truth.
    We shell see what the dark side print in the JEP tonight, I bet a few people had a sleepless night last night.

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  4. Dear VFC

    Can you interview Dr Blackwood?

    He seems to have something interesting to say about what went on at the hospital.

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  5. I agree with the last comment get Gil Blackwood on camera, what about John Day.
    That would be one in the eye to our media.
    Go for it that would show you mean business.

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  6. I believe the group was set up following best practice in the UK under ACPO. I have been in touch with them and found them to be responsive and helpful. I do believe that they WERE trying to do what they were set up for (check ACPO guidelines) but were thwarted by the police and Home Affairs. There was little attempt to correctly communicate what they were there for.
    Inaccurate media articles were NOT corrected despite requests to do so.

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  7. It's Carol Canavan. Get the names right at least.

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  8. Re; "Carol" Canavan.

    Thank you for managing to comment on a spelling mistake it is most important.

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  9. Thank you for recognising that it is quite important in good journalism to get someones name right.It is sloppy journalism not to get the facts right , even if it is just a persons name. Caron Kanavan is not the correct name for Carol Canavan and it is only good manners to make sure your research is spot on.

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