Tuesday 4 May 2010

I have a "S(c)andal"


Some weeks ago Home Affairs Minister Senator Ian Le Marquand told listeners to our local BBC Radio show “Talkback” that he had a scandal to tell us all concerning the Association Of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) who were advising and mentoring the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) of the Haute de la Garenne Child Abuse investigation Lenny Harper and his team. He (Senator Le Marquand) told listeners that he would reveal this “scandal” that could bring the good name of ACPO into disrepute at the next States Sitting.



Naturally there was a great deal of interest in what this “scandal” could be, the public gallery at the States Sitting was (unusually) well attended and plenty of others tuned into the live radio broadcast of the sitting. Only to find out that the Senator had contracted a twenty four hour bug and didn’t turn up to the sitting and his Assistant Minister (Deputy Jackie Hilton) didn’t know anything about the “scandal”, what’s the chances of that? In fact his Assistant Minister appeared to know next to nothing, about anything! So we would all have to wait with bated breath for a few weeks before the Home Affairs Minister could reveal what this “scandal” was that might discredit ACPO and possibly throw their "very positive" Reports and reputation into disrepute.

The time arrived! On the 20th April 2010 the Home Affairs Minster dropped the bombshell, the “scandal” and that was (in the words of the Home Affairs Minister).

“The issue to which I alluded was an issue as to whether there was a conflict of interest on the part of the senior officer involved. That conflict of interest would be in the area of the fact that that officer was about to apply in Jersey for a senior post in the Jersey police force.”

The Home affairs Minister also went on to say -
“The term “scandal” as I understand it from having looked it up in a dictionary is wide enough to cover improper conduct. If a senior officer puts himself into a position where there is a conflict of interest, or potential conflicts of interest, that is, in my view, improper.”

So why did he look up the word “scandal” in the dictionary? If this senior ranking ACPO Officer was found to be involved in any type of real scandal would there be any reason to look the word up in a dictionary? Furthermore couldn’t it be argued that the Home Affairs Minister could equally be describing the role played by acting Chief Police Officer, David Warcup, who was instrumental in the suspension of his Senior Officer and stands to inherit his job?

This is what Deputy Bob Hill asked the Home Affairs Minister.

I will just ask the Minister would he not really agree that the real scandal is the Chief Executive Officer’s role (Bill Ogley)? He was the person who appointed the Deputy Police Chief (David Warcup). He was then involved directly again with the suspension of the Police Chief (Graham Power) with the Deputy Chief Police Officer (David Warcup) and now has come forward with recommending that the Deputy Chief Officer (David Warcup) should have the suspended police officer’s job. Would he not really think that is the real scandal of what is going on at the moment? and the Home affairs Minister’s reply? A simple “No.”

Senator Le Marquand there are plenty of “scandals” to be had to go along with the “scoop” for the JEP rather than evidence to a Scrutiny Panel. How about the way Police Chief Officer Graham was suspended? How about the fact that you have refused to look into it? How about two Senior Police Officers, Mick Gradwell and David Warcup, coming over and attempting to trash an ongoing and successful Child Abuse investigation and ruin the reputations of two fellow Senior Ranking Police Officers at the same time? How about the letter to Chief Police Officer Graham Power quoting from a report that didn’t even exist ‘til two days later? If indeed it exists at all! How about Mick Gradwell showing to the world’s media possible evidence in an ongoing Child Abuse Investigation?

No Senator Le Marquand, you didn’t have a scandal. A senior ranking Police Officer “about” to apply for a job in the Jersey Police Force is nothing short of scraping the barrel, on your behalf. If it was that scandalous why didn’t you submit a complaint to ACPO or the IPCC?
There are many scandals besides the ones pointed out above, but something tells me they’re not the sort of scandals you want to look at or you might just refuse to look at, as with the original suspension of Graham Power.

Appearing to work “against” Deputy Bob Hill, voting “against” his proposition P9/2010 that asked for an open and public committee of enquiry into the suspension of Chief Police Officer Graham Power, why would you do that? Why would you vote against Deputy Hill and his proposition? Aren’t you and Deputy Hill supposed to be on the same side? The side of truth and justice?

The fact that victims and survivors of monstrous Child Abuse committed by the very people who were there to give them love and protection will never see their perpetrators face justice. The fact that these survivors will bare those scars for the rest of their lives, while their abusers carry on living a privileged and protected life, that's a scandal.

Perhaps the next time you feel the need to of talk of a “scandal” take a look around you, you are involved in one. A scandal in which every person involved is going to be judged by history, and in some cases God himself will be doing the judging. You are involved in one of the biggest scandals ever to hit this island, and probably ever will. The Government that you are a big player in has been failing its most vulnerable children for decades. Those who tried to expose the ruined lives of the survivors of these atrocities have had their lives, careers and reputations ruined in return.






One can only believe you have been mis-quoted and that you said you had a “sandal” not a “scandal”. A sandal would prevent your foot from getting covered in sh-t should you inadvertently step in some. However a pair of waders would be more appropriate because you have stepped in some and you’re up to your neck in it!……..Not to worry though Senator eh? God will be the judge.

Submitted by VFC. Graphics kindly supplied by Web Guru

19 comments:

  1. A very strong post VFC.

    Is it was it a scandal or a SANDAL

    LOL

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  2. Very good post. A sandal indeed!

    Keep up the good work and take care.

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  3. Syvret arrested, what can we do?

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  4. VFC please, having read on channelonline news Stuart has been arrested will you be able to keep us up to date. Living in the uk it is difficult to get any new except for those in the Jersey General Media. Thanks.

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  5. Am I missing something here? Is this supposed to be funny?

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  6. RE; "Am I missing something here? Is this supposed to be funny?"

    The thing I think you might be missing, is just how funny none of this really is.

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  7. For the commenter wanting to be kept up-dated with Stuart he is currently enjoying a large glass of red wine with Gino Risoli and a number of others.

    He intends on giving Team Voice an exclusive and indepth interview in the coming days.

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  8. Hey VFC thanks for that - I was worried they may have put him in the nick overnight. Very good post incidently.

    Thankyou

    The Ally

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  9. Great post. If only more of our glorious parliamentarians were this passionate about all Jersey's ills, things might actually start to happen.
    Mo

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  10. Hi VFC

    Jackie Hilton knows nothing on these matters and that is for sure.

    This is only the beginning of what is going to be a long and even more drawn out load of rubbish from the establishment.

    I had high hopes for ILM but its just not happening christ I even thought he could have made chief minister but not a chance now.

    They have got to discredit ACPO like they discredit anybody or anything that goes against what they think or say.

    Good Post VFC and one that must be expanded on, keep searching for the truth what a summer we have coming up

    rs

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  11. What an excellent post VFC, and having enjoyed a pizza and a glass or two of vino with Stuart and others, I can assure you all he is in good spirits.

    Not a scandal by any stretch of the imagination. Not even a sandal either but a very floppy flip-flop!

    Quelle embarrassment Mr Le Marquand.

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  12. Yeah, he has a scandal, like I have a magical pony. You just can't see it.

    Chelloise

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  13. Methinks he is missing his much touted sandal.

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  14. As always VFC an excellent posting.

    Le Marquand has shown himself up for the blithering conflicted and deluded idiot he really is.

    As the regular church going fellow that he purports to be I do hope he takes on board your assertion that God will be his judge.

    At times like these I really wish I was religious and could believe it would be so.

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  15. It may be S(c)andelous or should it be s(c)andeless?

    Maybe it should be shoeless but more like clueless?

    We could be left with a foot or is it a foot too far to the right?

    Either way it is a HAS BEAN!

    I toast Mr Stuart Syvret's bravery!

    Salut!

    “We never search for scandal, but we use it if it cries out to excess.”

    Peter Utley quotes

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  16. Top Class reporting, with "no fear".

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  17. You guys are being selective with the truth again to fit your own means. But you should know by now that nothing you have done to date has had any legal influence at all because it is purely speculative.

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  18. The 'scandal' to ILM is much like his belief in a god.

    There is no evidence that it actually exists but, by saying it exists often enough, he is likely to get a number of people to blindly believe that it does.

    The reality is that it is all in his head but perfectly serves the real agenda, which is, social control.

    Religion - a real scandal (with a lot of sandals)

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  19. The dictionary definition.

    scan·dal   /skændl/ [skan-dl]
    –noun

    1.a disgraceful or discreditable action, circumstance, etc.

    2.an offense caused by a fault or misdeed.

    3.damage to reputation; public disgrace.

    4.defamatory talk; malicious gossip.

    5.a person whose conduct brings disgrace or offense.

    The Le Marquand Definition.

    “The term “scandal” as I understand it from having looked it up in a dictionary is wide enough to cover improper conduct. If a senior officer puts himself into a position where there is a conflict of interest, or potential conflicts of interest, that is, in my view, improper.”

    So there you have it. ILM's expanding the definition of an English word to suit his agenda. But let us look at the so called 'scandal' and see whether it fits either the dictionary or ILM's definition.

    ILM said, "That conflict of interest would be in the area of the fact that that officer was about to apply in Jersey for a senior post in the Jersey police force."

    From this statement ILM is saying that the officer had not applied for any job but was "about to".

    ILM should know, as a lawyer, that the dictionary definition relates entirely to acts or ommissions. There is no scope under the definition to include an act that a person might be simply considering doing; but, in fact, never does.

    Would the man on the Clapham Omnibus think that it is a scandal that a senior policeman merely thought about applying for a job in Jersey, but never did?

    Regarding a 'conflict of interest', it should be remembered what that means.

    A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could 'possibly' corrupt the motivation for an act in the other.

    More generally, conflicts of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for their personal or corporate benefit.

    Would the man on the Clapham Omnibus think that it is a conflcit of interest that a senior policeman merely thought about applying for a job in Jersey, but never did?

    Finally, and probably most pertinently, the self-policing of any group is also a conflict of interest.

    If any organization, such as a corporation or government, is asked to eliminate unethical behaviour within their own group, it may be in their interest to eliminate the appearance of unethical behaviour, rather than the behaviour itself, by keeping any ethical breaches hidden, instead of exposing and correcting them. (sound familiar?)

    An exception occurs when the ethical breach is already known by the public.

    In that case, it could be in the group's interest to end the ethical problem to which the public has knowledge, but keep remaining breaches hidden. (sound familiar?)

    Would the man on the Clapham Omnibus think that our government's behaviour (including ILM's 'ruling' that he was not conflicted in the Graham Power hearing) has far greater potential for having a conflict of interests?

    That, in conclusion, is the REAL scandal.

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