Blogging in 2009

Blogging is still a relatively new phenomena here in little old Jersey. It has been welcomed in some circles and frowned upon in others.
But there is no getting away from the fact that it is growing. Here at Team Voice, over the past year, we have seen our readership more than treble.

Senator Ben Shenton concedes “we are going to have to accommodate them” (Bloggers). How are you going to do this then Senator? Because web streaming of States meetings (as is currently being considered) is nothing short of “State controlled media” we have enough of that already, and that’s partly the reason Blogs exist in the first place. He also concedes “they are here to stay”….well he got that right!!

Because Jersey has no alternative “accredited” media - Blogs are filling a massive void. Blogs and Bloggers seem to be the only alternative to “the party line”.

2009 has seen the “accredited” media absolutely slate retired DCO Lenny Harper for his handling of the HDLG “historic” Child Abuse Investigation. An investigation where he has a 100% record of securing convictions against Child Abusers.

This - one could believe - is what helped put Jersey “Blogging” on the map.

Lenny Harper responded by submitting a 16,500 word, 31 page response with documented evidence “exclusively” to a Blogger. The Blogger - Senator Stuart Syvret - has seen his readership grow to almost a quarter of a million, which could be argued is a much bigger readership than ANY of our local “accredited” media.

Blogging, unfortunately for some, has got to be one of the fastest growing news outlets and can no longer be ignored by our “ruling elite” or our “accredited” press.

One of the only ways to slow down the growth of Blogsites here in Jersey is for the “accredited” press to stop towing the party line and start reporting all the “uncomfortable truths” and expose this Child Abuse Scandal, and many other things, for what they really are, don’t leave it for Bloggers to do.

Below is a short montage of some of our elected representative’s thoughts, or views, on Blogging…….What’s yours?

A year at the Helm.

2009 was a year that seen umpteen alleged child abusers escape facing a jury of their peers. It was also a year that saw history being made by protests being held, for the first time in eight hundred years, at the swearing in of the Balliff and Deputy Balliff.

A year that forced our most senior politician to flee the tyranny and oppression inflicted by our ruling elite. A year where retired DCO Lenny Harper “put the record straight” with an “exclusive” posting on a Blog rather than trusting our “accredited” media. A year where Gradwell was given a free reign by our “accredited” media to attack a fellow professional and expected us all to believe in tooth fairies.

Below is the first compilation of some the year’s events under the command of Captain Le Sueur, there will be more to come.

My thoughts and prayers are with all abuse survivors across the world and would like to remind our ruling elite and “accredited” media that Jersey’s Child abuse scandal, the illegal suspension of Chief Officer Graham Power, and all the other shenanigans that don’t make it in to the “accredited” media will be getting exposed by Bloggers……..Welcome to the 21st century!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to one and all. 2010 promises to be an eventful year!

Carrie I believe some people are beyond forgiveness.

Statistics.

It is such a shame that none of the 20 newly elected representatives took the opportunity to blow their trumpet, and as for CTV did anybody expect them to balance the Syvret interview?

Below is a set of statistics that show our ruling elite are not having an easy a time as they once enjoyed. This is partly thanks to the new incumbents but not exclusively, there are some hardened campaigners, like Deputy Bob Hill who has been bringing propositions, (16, including amendments this year) asking questions and campaigning for reform and Human Rights for the last 17 years or so.



1. Number of meeting days

TOTAL Ordinary business Ceremonial, etc.
2000 32 30 2
2001 37 34 3
2002 47 45 2
2003 37 36 1
2004 49 47 2
2005 49 48 1
2006 38 35 3
2007 45 44 1
2008 51 50 1
2009 60 59 0



2. Total sitting hours (including Liberation Day and other ceremonial)

2006 191 hours 05 minutes
2007 240 hours 49 minutes
2008 298 hours 50 minutes
2009 351 hours 2 minutes



3. Oral questions with notice answered during 90 minute/2 hour period

2009 2008
Economic Development 50 13
Chief Minister 46 21
Treasury and Resources 44 22
Home Affairs 40 27
Health and Social Services 36 16
Transport and Technical Services 23 28
Education, Sport and Culture 20 16
Social Security 17 24
Planning and Environment 17 17
Housing 14 10
H.M. Attorney General 13 3
Privileges and Procedures Committee 6 3
Comité des Connétables 6 1
Chairmen’s Committee 4 0
Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel 1 0
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 0 1
Total 337 202



In addition there were 51 oral questions with notice listed that were not reached during the 90 minute period allocated before September 2009 (no oral questions with notice remained unanswered after the period was increased to 2 hours)

4. Written questions

2009 2008
Treasury and Resources 65 34
Chief Minister 61 42
Transport and Technical Services 50 23
Social Security 43 28
Health and Social Services 42 18
Economic Development 38 35
Education, Sport and Culture 27 14
Planning and Environment 26 19
Home Affairs 22 23
Housing 14 22
HM Attorney General 13 2
Privileges and Procedures 8 11
Comité des Connétables 7 3
Chairmen’s Committee 2 0
Health, Soc. Sec. and Housing Scr. Panel 1 1
Environment Scrutiny Panel 0 2
Public Accounts Committee 0 1
Education and Home Affairs Scr. Panel 0 1
Commonwealth Parliamentary Assoc. 0 1
TOTAL 419 280



5. Public Business – number and type of propositions debated

2009 2008
Private members’ policy matters 44 31
Regulations 39 40
Appointments 32 18
Ministers’ policy matters 23 15
Laws 21 45
Legislative Acts (including Appointed Day Acts) 10 13
Standing Orders 3 3
Strategic Plan/Annual Business Plan/Budget 3 2
Scrutiny Panels policy matters 3 1
No confidence/dismissal/censure 1 3
PPC/Comité des Connétables policy matters 1 0
Petitions 1 0
Property matters 0 3
TOTAL 181 174





6. Public Business – time spent debating different types of proposition

2009 2008
Total time % of total time Total time % of total time
Private members’ policy matters 106h 46m 39.3% 60h 41m 26.3%
Annual Business Plan/Budget 74h 43m 27.5% 35h 22m 15.3%
Regulations 26h 54m 9.9% 26h 29m 11.5%
Laws 21h 53m 8.1% 39h 55m 17.3%
Ministers’ policy matters 16h 13m 6.0% 39h 44m 17.2%
PPC/Comité des Connétables policy matters 7h 39m 2.8% - -
Scrutiny Panels policy matters 6h 10m 2.3% 6h 32m 2.8%
Appointments 5h 23m 2.0% 3h 44m 1.6%
No confidence/dismissal/censure 3h 9m 1.2% 10h 44m 4.7%
Standing Orders 1h 52m 0.7% 2h 5m 0.9%
Legislative Acts (including Appt Day Acts) 0h 39m 0.2% 5h 8m 2.2%
Petitions 0h 6m 0.0% - -
Property matters - - 0h 5m 0.0%
Total Public Business 271h 27m 230h 29m

Update.

Further to our last Blog, Team Voice are very sad to report, despite being in contact with a few of the listed politicians, and despite being assured they will reply to the questionnaire, not one of them have.

This is most unfortunate because there are a number of them who work tirelessly for their constituents and for the greater good of the island. The questionnaire would have offered them the opportunity, not only to prove they are worth their money and seat, but also given them the opportunity to engage with the ever growing online community of voters.

For the rest it would have exposed them as bi-weekly 43 grand button pushers and they never were going to answer any questions, you the reader, can decide who falls in which camp!

Another update we are sorry, but not surprised, to report - is that of Channel Television and their interview with Senator Syvret in London where he was subject to a (Jersey style) “grilling” from Jess Dunsdon.

Regular readers will be aware we (Team Voice) were “holding judgement” as to whether it was a fair, impartial and objective interview. We suggested if there was a counter-balance interview subjecting either Magistrate Bridget Shaw, Attorney General Tim Le Coq, Advocate Stephen Baker, either of the Bailhache brothers, to a “Jersey style grilling” then it would appear fair, impartial and objective.

Team Voice have e-mailed Channel Television on two occasions asking them if they had any intention on interviewing any of the above and we reproduce the e-mails here.

Dear news @ channeltv.

As you will be aware, we at Team Voice, published a Blog covering the interview between Jess Dunsdon and Senator Syvret
here
http://voiceforchildren.blogspot.com/2009/11/fair-and-impartial-reporting.html We are looking to do a follow up of this Blog.

Before we do this could you please advise us if you have any intentions of interviewing Bridget Shaw, Stephen Baker, William or Phillip Bailhache Tim Le Coq or anybody similar in order to give some balance to the Syvret interview?

Kind Regards.

Team Voice


--
http://voiceforchildren.blogspot.com/

http://voiceforjersey.blogspot.com/

http://voiceforprotest.blogspot.com/



|voiceforchildren voiceforchildren to news
show details Nov 23


Dear News.

Below is the e-mail sent to you on November the 19th. Unfortunately we have still not recieved a reply. Could you please inform us as to whether you are going to interview any of the key players mentioned or not.

If you have no intentions of interviewing any of them, then could you please explain the reason(s) for this?

Team Voice.

Unfortunately Channel Television have not replied so we are left believing the “Syvret interview” was a propaganda exercise which served our ruling elite’s purpose of telling the public how Senator Syvret is a naughty boy.

Come on Channel Television you’re “accredited” media aren’t you? We’re only asking for both sides of the story, in a word “Balance”.