Saturday 30 January 2010

It's a funny old world!

The police media management of the Haut de la Garenne enquiry has received a massive vote of confidence from Ministers with the appointment of the Police Media Relations Officer Louise Journeaux, to take the lead on the media management of the expected fallout in the Health Department from the soon to be released independent report into the management of the death of Elizabeth Rourke in 2006.  

Readers may recall that initially the Department claimed to have managed the events well, including the exclusion (suspension?) of surgeon Mr John Day.   However, pressure from a number of States Members led to the appointment of “Verita” and “Solace” to conduct independent reviews.   The review reports have not yet been released but the hasty appointment of an experienced media person is a sign that the findings may not bode well for those in senior management at the time.

The former Chief Officer of the department, and close associate of Chief Executive Bill Ogley, resigned some months ago for "personal reasons" It is believed that Dr. Day may soon be returning to work.   Perhaps his suspension was just a "misunderstanding."  If it was it was a £3m+ misunderstanding and questions are bound to be asked regarding the judgement of those involved.

But the appointment of Louise Journeaux to take the lead with the media is the biggest surprise. Police Chief Graham Power has been suspended since 2008.  It is understood that among the allegations under investigation is that he did not ensure that the right media management was in place. The head of media management for the Force at that time was none other than the said Louise Journeaux. “Once the villain, now the heroine, it’s a funny old world”. 

If the police media management by her at Haut de la Garenne was so bad that it justified the suspension of the Chief Officer how come that the lead person in that episode has now been selected in an effort to save the skins of senior players in yet another crisis?  

Could it be that Louise really is a respected and competent professional who knows how to manage in a crisis and that her star performance under pressure during the abuse enquiry made her the first choice when Ministers saw their own skins on the line?   I believe that this is the real reason.  

So will Ministers now stop claiming that media management at HDLG was rubbish and remove the suspension on the Police Chief?   All that is needed for this to happen is honesty, consistency, and a realisation that in fast moving crisis things will never be perfect.

27 comments:

  1. Hi VFC

    I believe we are now heading far beyond Monty Python and into a whole new era of comedy and make belief.

    This is now just a make it up as you go along sketch, what next. I have a feeling we will be told that Jon Day is guilty of digging up HdelaG and graham power should never have been in the operating theater.

    When lies and spin become second nature you know its only a matter of time before they come back and whack you in the face

    rs

    Team Voice

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  2. She used to be a journo at the FILTHY RAG under maiden name Louise Nibbs.

    One can only guess at her extensive list of contacts and personal conflicts of interest.

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  3. FYI
    Louise Journeaux - ex employee of the RAG, worked very closely with Lenny Harper.

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  4. Rico.

    I am led to belive that Louise Journeaux is a consumate professional who is highly respected in her field of work. I am also led to believe she was advised by Devon&Cornwall Police during the HDLG media strategy, although I stand to be corrected on both counts.

    If what I am led to believe is indeed true then that must mean she, along with, D&C Police, Lenny Harper, Graham Power, Stuart Syvret, the Howard League for Penal Reform and many others went completely "cuckoo" during the Child Abuse investigation.

    However it must be that Mrs. Jorneaux has regained her sanity in order for our "powers that be" to have so much confidence in her to deal with, what surely must be, a near on impossible task of convincing the people of Jersey that they are safe in our hospital and the government aren't in the business of cover-ups and "noble cause corruption"

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  5. VFC, this is truly wonderful stuff - Kafka, Monty Python and Spike Milligan all rolled into one. This appointment may be the best thing possible for those of us who seek the truth. Hopefully it will be another nail in the coffin of the fast decaying establishment

    Lorna

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  6. Hi VFC

    So where does this leave the media strategy concerning HdelaG, must be all ok.

    I see comical terry has left the island looking for some divine guidance lets hope he finds some

    Do you laugh,cry or just do both

    rs

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  7. So, Captain Terry is deserting the slowly sinking SS Jersey, and what a time to go!

    Hopefully he has left a few life rafts, as I fear some will be needed.

    Also, excuse my ignorance, but is it the norm to delegate (albeit temporarily) someone to the role of CM in his absence, or does this imply something more. I feel the next week could be very interesting and hopefully the start of a new period of honesty and justice.

    We'll see.....

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  8. This Verita Report being made public on Monday really has to come out warts and all.

    The main reason is because - We are all watching.

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  9. I can see now why they call this 'voice of children' you have not written anything remotely exciting for over a year and you call the appointment of a Press person news?

    Sorry I don't get it?

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  10. "Sorry I don't get it?"

    No, you never do.

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  11. Anonymous,you really have got a bee in your bonnet,is the truth so hard to take? I for one am ,maybe not excited, but certainly interested in the latest findings as i am sure many others will be.

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  12. Anonymous - firstly, just to correct you this blog is called Voice FOR Children, not OF Children, which puts a slightly different slant on things.

    Furthermore, if you had read this post properly you would see the irony of who has been temporarily seconded from being the media spokesperson from the police to speak in relation to the Verita report.

    It really puzzles me why someone who has 'not read anything exciting' on here for a year bothers to come back time after time. This is not the place for thrillers or fiction, rather for facts and truth - there is a good Library in town where you can read the former which may suit you better.

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  13. Louise Journeaux worked with me throughout the HDLG enquiry and was present at every press interview and conference I gave. She worked extremely hard and was superb, both in motivation and in dealing with the volume of calls - so many in fact, that the whole system crashed on one occasion. Her advice and assistance was invaluable and she was the subject of unfair criticism from certain politicians. It seems now that they do not think the media handling was as bad as they would like everyone to believe. Lenny Harper

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  14. Jill, I agree with your positions most of the time, but I do see this entire scandal scenario being made into quite a best selling page turner some day.

    Boo

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  15. Hi VFC

    Hi lenny thanks for your comment. I was going to rip you seeing as im a leeds fan but thought better not lol

    This whole mess just gets stranger and stranger but i fully back yourself and graham power.

    I have gone over graham powers suspension so many times and it is just one complete and utter balls up from start to finish. In my opinion the lies are starting to fall apart and the cracks are being exposed.

    I still find it incredible that i live on an island that puts money and reputation before the safety of children, and people support that attitude.

    I feel ashamed of 90% of our states members not a backbone in sight.

    And for all the slagging and hatred thrown at Stuart he seems to keep getting it right

    rs

    Team Voice

    ps guess who has turned up on the JDA blog site

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  16. Who has turned up at the JDA Blog rico?

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  17. Three guesses - wouldn't be the man of many aliases would it??

    I'm gonna have a look now - drinks on me if I'm wrong!

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  18. Rico on PJ you are now attacking Bill Ogley the head of the Civil Service as well as politicions, the police and members of the justice system. Are you on a personal death wish or just plain stupid?

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  19. Phew - well I guess I was right!!

    Incidentally Boo, I agree with you 100%, this whole sad, sorry state of affairs would make a real best seller, and who knows, in time....

    I was trying to make the point that one anonymous commenter thought that the present post was in effect boring and not'exciting' enough. To him/her, maybe not, but in the grand scheme of things it does have a revelance in the bigger picture, which who knows may well be the basis for a best seller!

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  20. Hi VFC

    "Rico on PJ you are now attacking Bill Ogley the head of the Civil Service as well as politicions, the police and members of the justice system. Are you on a personal death wish or just plain stupid?"

    Hi Anonymous

    None of the above

    Granted i post under my name but i believe in what we are doing. This is not about me, i do believe in putting my name to what i say thou always have.

    I don't do scared never have i want an open and transparent government and one that protects our children is that to much to ask for.

    VFC

    IS it true Jon Day is going back to work? If it is this is huge news and the fall out will be nuclear

    rs

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  21. Rico.

    I have it on good authority that the good Doctor will be back at work shortly. And yes it will cerainly raise questions, somewhere in the region of THREE MILLION quids worth of questions.

    That's before we talk about the damage done to the reputation of the Doctor.

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  22. Hi VFC

    Chuck in over a million quid in covering up the child abuse scandal this will be an expensive year by the looks.

    So if jon day is innocent of any wrong doing what the hell happened down the general.

    The family must get justice

    rs

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  23. rico you claim to want transparent government yet the wording of your posts keeps on suggesting that you are fingering people for corruption and misdemeanors. You said the former magistrate will be lucky to keep his job. You have said the current police are all but corrupt. You have called other states members of the vile blog names. All this material gets printed off and you can be sued for it. Now to me and you have a personal problem which goes further than transparency and it will eventually drop you into trouble I can see it Unless of course you decide to run away when people decide to stick some heat on you. If however, everything you say is accuarte and you can back up some of your slanderous (which I read some as being) accusations then you have nothing to worry about.

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  24. Fire away Rico! It's been a good week, I can take it!!! Lenny

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  25. Hi Lenny

    Your boys are on fire no doubt about it, just shows how good the mighty leeds were lol Wait till the boys from Milan hit town it will be carnage

    Anonymous

    'corruption and misdemeanors."

    Open and transparent government


    You said the former magistrate will be lucky to keep his job

    I believe senator le marquand is putting his political reputation on the line concerning the suspension of graham power. I stand by that.

    Anonymous i will not be having a discussion with you on here because i don't give a toss what you think and its pointless there are far bigger issues. See ya

    ps

    print that off

    rs

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  26. rico you are a fool if you believe the power you are taking on cannot break your back. Harper was too scared to come back when ordered and your mate Syvret ran away to London when confronted. Thats the truth of the matter and your name is being brought by people that can break your back and even yesterday you were being talked about in a local pub. I will laugh when it happens because only fools tread were you are going at the moment.

    Over and out.

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  27. Mary.

    As promised, the Verita Report.

    http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/reports/30572-22039-122010.pdf

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