Monday 14 June 2010

Make your mind up time.

Team Voice have now collated a 5 minute speech from all the candidates standing in the 2010 Senatorial by election. Not all took us up on our very kind offer, as regular readers/viewers will be aware. For those who ignored the wishes of the online community and decided not to engage with Citizens Media we have videoed one of their speeches from the hustings meetings.

Our last posting on here was of Francis “integrity” Le Gresley who we believe to be the establishment candidate. That is, we believe if you want more of the same from this government then this is your man.

This posting is of the anti establishment candidate former Senator, and Father of the House Stuart Syvret. If you are sick and tired of the way this government is being run, where it’s headed and want a change of direction then he is your man.

Below this video are links to all the other candidates 5 minutes “piece to camera” - or for those who wouldn’t engage - a five minute hustings speech.

For those who have not yet made their mind up on who to vote for, we hope the videoed 5 minutes of each candidate will be of some service to you………and you haven’t got long left to decide! Wednesday 16 of June is polling day and you will be able to cast your vote between 8am and 8pm.



Patrick Ryan

Gerard Baudains

Gino Risoli

Geoff Southern

Peter Remon Whorrall

Phillip Maguire

Nick Le Cornu

Submitted by VFC.

52 comments:

  1. Southern for me. It will be the first time that I have voted for him but my reasoning is quite simple: he is the best candidate for the job all things considered i.e. ability, work ethic and actually having policies.

    Sorry Stuart. A politician should understand that he or she has to represent everyone not just one section of society, no matter how valid the issues. They also shouldn't treat the public with contempt and you have done just that.

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  2. Stuart has raised valid issues even if he sometimes he pushes the evidence well beyond its limits.
    Now he is the major obstacle to change.
    His loner , self centred approach and "kick them first" style has totally isolated him from fellow progressives.When he was riding high he could have led and organised an opposition. The squandering of that opportunity is the real tragedy.

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  3. I also go along with Geoff Southern. It is the bitterness that Stuart throws out all the time that puts me off him now and his post of today says it all.

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  4. Stuart is finished as a credible politician. His own fault too and I say that with little satisfaction. He was so good once. Now all full of hate and happy to smear all and anyone who dares challenge him. I just hope this Wednesday finishes his career so Jersey can move on. There is loads that needs to be done but Stuart isn't the man to do it! Southern for me too.

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  5. People will be voting for Geoff Southern and not because they do not want Stuart Syvret back in but because the JDA have presented a worthy Senatorial campaign to be taken seriously. Even middles to rights are starting to see the JDA as something credible and hard working. Hard working is not something people now see Stuart Syvret as being and many people wonder why on earth he was standing again anyway except to just get back on a pay roll. The Side Show has had its day and its time for a fresher outlook.

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  6. Look, you just can't get away from the fact, Stuart has been taking the pi** for 18 months now and it has to stop. I am sick of all the hate and bullying. Everyone is a crook except him. I think not.

    I hope Southern gets it because whatever his faults - and I am not the biggest fan of his style - he clearly never stops working. Stuart just never starts now, unless he can link it to abuse.

    I am not belittling that either it is just that there is other work to be done too and Stuart clearly isn't interested.Sorry.

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  7. I agree with some of the posts above. Style and manner are not Stuarts Syvrets best attributes.

    Absolute honesty, well researched, a good speaker without waffle, experience but most of all for me personally standing up and saying what we all know and think.

    Having the bravery in an insular island to publish reports which vested interests never wanted published.

    While having done some good work in the States " milk for children " being an example, Deputy Southern is just a light weight compared to Stuart Syvret. He he was really intent and confident, why not show true conviction and give up his seat as errrrrr Stuart Syvret has done. Game set and match to Syvret.

    Anonymous.

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  8. I also go along with Geoff Southern. It is the bitterness that Stuart throws out all the time that puts me off him now and his post of today says it all.

    14 June 2010 13:1


    I can't believe this comment
    It's got to be from one of the people involved in the corrupt land deals

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  9. I agree that the bullying now gets on peoples nerves. Today he is laying into people and with only tomorrow to go before the voting starts is this all he has to offer now? I never cared for the JDA but Geoff Southern has put more than enough work into this campaign to swing my vote into his favour and why? He doesn't run people down all the time on a blog.

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  10. When you have a seat in the big house, no matter what title you possess, you have a right to bring forward propositions and to vote on important island issues, so a public vote for Southern is a wasted vote in my opinion...He already has a seat in the States.

    The first Anonymous commentor said: "A politician should understand that he or she has to represent everyone not just one section of society, no matter how valid the issues." My question is, who are these people you consider to be just "one section of society"? I ask this because as someone who has not suffered child abuse I need to know if I fit into that criteria?

    I don't always like what Stuart has to say or the way he says it but I believe he is open and honest, he has the good interest of this island at heart and (most importantly) has the knowledge and experience to move things forward. For those reason and not because I may or may not fit into any particular category or "section of society", he gets my vote.

    Thanks for the video interviews VFC, they have been interesting and most helpful in enabling me to make my mind up.

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  11. So people who support Geoff Southern are involved in corrupt land deals now yes? When will his supporters ever learn?

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  12. I had initially written a sarcastic response to the collection of pro-Southern messages appearing at the top of these comments.

    Instead I'll dump that and cut to the chase.

    Each of those comments was left during the same lunch hour period of 12.28 to 13.20.

    Each of those comments serves only one purpose. To praise Southern and to portray Syvret in a negative light - with no mention of ANY other candidate.

    I know what that suggests to me.

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  13. Mr syvret far outstands any of the candidates standing in this election
    If they had any sence of decency they would all stand down to make a statement ,Jersey has had enough
    They won't of cours they all have there own personal agenda

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  14. Stuart will get my vote on Wednesday,
    Some JDA supporters and Ted Vibert have gone all out working over time to slag off and discredit Stuart.

    All the fighting between the so called progressives just plays into the hands of the establishment, which is a great shame for the future of the Island.

    No politician represents everyone they all have areas of interest.

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  15. This sudden batch of pro-Syvret posts is a bit suspicious. That a few posts supported Southern happened to be over the lunch period might just mean that these are from people who happen to...work for a living. Work...you remember that don't you, Stu?

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  16. Margaret.

    You beat me to it. I found it ever so strange that I could get so many comments left in such a small space of time. Although my Blogs are read by a fairly large number of people, not many leave comments as a rule. But low and behold, in no time at all I get about 5 comments attacking Stuart and they keep coming......very peculiar.

    Mac you make a very good point. Progressives attacking progressives is just so counter-productive Phillip Ozouf and Terry Le Sueur must be sitting back and just watching and laughing at the progressives destroying themselves.

    Both the JDA and Stuart Syvret have good and bad points, but they are both progressive. It just makes no sense at all for supporters of either to be attcking the others bad points.

    If those who are opposed to this government concentrated on the good points of the progressives and worked towrads some kind of unity rather than division then we might just start moving forward, the old divide a conquer skecth springs to mind.

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  17. Lets face it, out of all of Stu's possible enemies the JDA wins this hands down. It has been a perpetual attack on him from their letters in the JEP, the JDA related Blogs and worst still, Ted turning up to the Hustings with his questions specifally aimed at destroying Stu.
    No other contender has gone this far, no other known enemy of Stu has gone to these lengths to mess up his chances of winning.

    Why have the JDA done this, why?

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  18. The JDA are only interested in itself. Remember the lengths they went to getting votes in Number 2 District 2 years ago by even breaking the law? Its thirst for power and it makes no difference as to who is killed in the process. Actually people I thought that may have been out to kill Syvret haven't been seen or heard about. Even PJ has been less than attacking against him. Maybe with the JDA around all his other enemies do not feel needed?

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  19. Geoff is already a sitting states member so its stuart for me

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  20. I must say the first few postings appear to be written by a PR person in political mode.

    I do not consider that Stuart's style is 'bitter', although I can understand how perhaps many people including those 'posters' might be bitter when they are illegally removed from 'office', house raided to suppress a 'planning' corruption scandal, being denied the legal defence he was entitled too, but most of all, the lack of justice for all those abused whilst in care!

    Vote Stuart if you want a fairer society.

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  21. Stuart for me every time. Abrasiveness I can handle, because I can also understand the frustrations that he must feel.

    Honesty and truth to me are the most commendable attributes anybody can have. Stuart has that in abundance.

    We all know there is a lot wrong/corrupt in this Island, and if you have had enough of it, he is the only man with the courage to confront and make public the issues.

    Sadly, although I had time for the JDA, but would have voted Stuart anyway, they have lost all my respect by allowing Geoff to stand in this election, and Vibert make a fool of himself. Sorry JDA, you have lost the plot and lost a lot of support.

    Incidentally, I also would like to thank The Voice team for putting up these posts. In light of the disgusting editorial in tonight's RAG, no one could accuse you of being biased.

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  22. Having just come in from work and see Mr Syvret's video, he has only confirmed that for me and a lot of people I know that he is the man to lead us out of the abyss.

    Good luck on Wednesday Sir!

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  23. Sorry, I agree with the JEP editorial. We need somebody that can deliver much more than what Stuart has to offer. He should stick to journalism.

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  24. please vote for Stuart on weds , if you don't feel that way please get informed with the facts read the latest blog post found here http://stuartsyvret.blogspot.com/

    and seriously think about it

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  25. Simple Is Efficient

    Spot on VFC, and well done Stuart. A pefect example of people working together for the common good.

    Top Notch.

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  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. What is the point in voting for someone already there. Having not yet made a decission on who to vote for, I have at least decided who not to waste my vote on.

    Even if you hate Syvret why waste it on someone already in the states, seems like a complete waste of time voting. If you are voting for him because you dislike Syvret bringing on an election then you must be a hypocrite as we will then have to vote another deputy in place. What is the point of that?!

    If you dont want Syvret in then vote for someone who is not there otherwise it will just be another waste of time waiting for a new deputy to take over when at least a new comer will put this to bed once and for all.

    I feel that a vote for Southern is a vote by a person that is more interested in making the election farcical rather than just getting someone in to do a job, and that is what your vote is meant for if you give a toss about Jersey.

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  28. To anyone who has followed this election, it is obvious that all the negative campaigning has been from Stuart's opponents. Not from all of them, but some of them, and the JDA being the worst.

    So it rings hollow for some troll to repeatedly accuse him of that. Fortunately, the many voters who attended the hustings will see through that diversion.

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  29. Southern can't clear out the rot and everyone knows it. Southern can't add any progressive votes to the total if he does win, which is highly unlikely. He won't investigate or publish the underlying truth of corruption to any meaningful extent. He can still introduce nice ideas for reform as a deputy, but he will only take away progressive power as a spoiler if he swings the winning vote just enough against Stuart.

    The establishment adore that boy and they are falling all over this candidacy with glee. The price of each vote for Southern will be paid by those who would see dreams of real reform shattered if Stuart loses to the predicted establishment candidate.

    Why do progressives with fairly intelligent ideology engage such self defeating election strategy? Bcause voters are not even strategic enough to use their own best logic. It is the same all over the world. Often enough it boils down to which candidate is someone who seems to be the most personally agreeable. Half the candidates anywhere are like Southern; they sound eloquent but are just a dream come true for those who want to maintain the status quo whilst permitting just enough polite lip service to shallow surface reforms.

    If Stuart loses, I will be back to say I told you so as Jersey continues to mire itself in blatant and systematic corruption.

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  30. It sounds like some voters think this is the equivilent of a small village council election. It's not.

    This is about electing a person who can root out an entrenched core of corruption. Now, just which man could and already has done the deeper digging and who has taken on the risks to bring real democracy to Jersey?

    It is not the candidate who has expensive backing and JEP advertising from a union whose regular members knew nothing at all about those payments.

    The other man would demand and even fight for greater transparency than that, and it is easy to see that is Syvret. He is the great enemy of the corrupt.

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  31. If anyone has any sense they will re-elect Syvret. Someone who is going to cause some upset with the establishment and is the only candidate who has so far shown he can do that.

    No real point in voting Southern as he is already a deputy, whether he wins or loses he's still their in the states putting his point across.

    The other main credible progressive candidate would be Nick Le Cornu, who is a great politician who unfortuantly does not currently have the backing he truly deserves.

    According to the J.E.P. This is really a two horse race with Le Gresley (Establishment figure) and Syvret (Progressive)

    Le Gresley supported GST and is against the teacher strikes. Who are only standing up for their rights.

    People of Jersey! Lets take the power back for us! Vote Stuart Syvret on Wednesday 16th June!

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  32. This all reads very desperate to elect Stuart Syvret and these claims that he roots out corruption are equally very strange. He has had almost 20 years to prove himself and it hasn't happened. The JDA have covered a much more wider public mandate in this election so Geoff gets my vote.

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  33. Re "He has had almost 20 years to prove himself and it hasn't happened."

    I don't know how anyone who has followed Stuart's career or has read his blog postings of the last two years can honestly say that.

    He was one person against an entrenched circle of powerful people. Just cast your mind back to when he was suspended from the States over the Senator Jeune affair. How many people sprang to his assistance then, apart from Jeremy Paxman, as I recall?

    GS is a Unite stooge. The Unite union is just another regressive and monoglottal block on progressive action with nothing to contribute to the debate other than a phoney and reactionary reference back to class warfare.

    GS, like many union people, would like to get his feet under the table while pretending to represent the 'working class'. In fact, in Jersey, it is a plutocracy against the rest and only Stuart has addressed that issue, the way in which that structure perpetuates itself through an imbalance of powers.

    He's not only revealed its workings, he's confronted it head-on, at great personal cost.

    Don't waste your time on GS: vote for the real thing, not the impostor.

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  34. Rob what has he managed to accomplish in even 2 years apart from umpteen court appearances, running away for 6 months and an appalling attendance record at states sittings. He cannot change anything. His blog has accomplished nothing, if it has please enlighten us because I cannot think of anything apart form unsubstaniated rumour mongering about people he works with and still nothings come of it. All lame and all unprogressive, so come on, whats he done for you and I?

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  35. Re "what has he managed to accomplish in even 2 years apart from umpteen court appearances, running away for 6 months and an appalling attendance record at states sittings."

    Have you read his latest posting about the real story behind the raid on Deputy Labey's house?

    I would say that the fact that nothing has changed even though he has revealed so much evidence of corruption bolsters his account rather than detracts from his worth.

    Listen - he has made detailed, public accusations of criminal behaviour by the then AG, William Bailhache. He has made detailed allegations of corruption against other officials.

    None of these have been rebutted. Indeed, they have been met with thunderous silence. Why do you think that is? We are not talking about poor, defenceless members of the public here. We are talking about the most powerful people on the island who are also senior government figures.

    The reason is: he has the evidence, just as Deputy Labey did, and just as Graham Power did.

    If you are happy to live with that level of corruption while your island is ruined around you by greedy developers in cahoots with corrupt local officials, that is your choice.

    The island is being run for the benefit of people like Geoff Noel - who conspire with people like Terry le Main to build on agricultural land (often with financial assistance from the Jersey taxpayer) and then take their proceeds to Switzerland while you live with the ugly consequences of what they have done.

    Meanwhile, people who don't work for finance in Jersey can barely afford to pay their rents or mortgage.

    Watch 'Capitalism: A Love Story' by Michael Moore to see how Merrill Lynch wrote to its premier customers boasting that the US was now a plutocracy run by 1% of the population. You have the same setup in Jersey, with the same consequences.

    GS and Unite have their own interests at heart. They are not going to save you from that, at least not before they have finished wrecking British Airways.

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  36. RE "unsubstaniated rumour mongering"

    Unsubstantiated? Are you joking? It's all there in black and white, with names, dates, and faces. How much more evidence do you want?

    Actually, he is the one who has been smeared. I complained to the JEP over two years ago because they implied on their front page that he had mental health issues. It was an outrageous slur and malign attack on his character.

    The Jersey establishment have tried to crush him but, to their ire, he is still standing, unlike Ted Vibert, who is merely frothing at the mouth.

    You and I both know that Stuart has all the evidence he needs to defend everything he has said, so your remark about 'unsubstantiated rumour' is a desperate attempt to make his political campaign look like a scurrilous personal vendetta.

    But like I said above, if you want to live in an island with a massive democratic (and financial) deficit, run for the benefit of the rich, that is your choice. And you only have one vote.

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  37. Rob Kent, we have only ever seen 'one side' of the story and if this material is so bang to rights then why doesn't the authorities show any concern about it? I have read all of it and it doesn't change anything because the people that are being accused have never responded and why? Because they don't have to as its not like a national newspaper attack.

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  38. Come on guys/girls, its a day before the elections and a bit late in the day to start this debate up all over again!!!!

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  39. Anon must be Geoff Southern’s lap dog by the sounds of it. VFC don’t even bother publishing this JDA propoganda electioneering trash by their brain dead supporters. The JDA have been raising this argument all over the NET.

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  40. Re, "if this material is so bang to rights then why doesn't the authorities show any concern about it?"

    Simple

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  41. Jacques Chartier15 June 2010 at 12:23

    Great interview. Well done VFC.

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  42. Re "its a day before the elections and a bit late in the day to start this debate up all over again!!!!"

    I don't think that I have had this debate before. I mean the debate about whether you vote for GS who is the Unite candidate standing against Stuart for reasons best known to himself.

    Ms/Mr Anonymous justified their antipathy to Stuart with the old lie that he has not produced any evidence.

    You and I know that he has produced mountains of the stuff, from solid documentation, police reports, court documents, etc, etc.

    I just don't think that that lie should go unchallenged whether it is the day before the election or not.

    But the day after the election, I promise to shut up.

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  43. Anony-mouse strikes again!

    If there is nothing to fear from the Establishment, or in Jersey, why is it that only Syvret Supporters put their real names to their posts?

    The Establishment do not respond to Stuart's charges because they have no response, they ARE GUILTY!!!

    Why is it that the anony-mouses of this world think that we, the working class, are all stupid? Do these clowns not understand that "we know people too"!

    Even if Stuart is not returned to office, do these imbeciles think that all the evidence is going to go away and that matters are over?

    Oh NO, this evil will be followed through to it's conclusion.

    V.F.C it was good that you got the recognition that the team has deserved, It was very pleasing and well deserved.

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  44. Neil,

    If only having a pencil to vote with, press the pencil so hard into the paper, with your cross that you nearly tear the paper, but dont tear the paper just dent....

    A rubber will not take that dent out!?

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  45. RE "unsubstaniated rumour mongering"

    Seems like those rumours may not be so unsubstantiated after all.

    My choice of The Untouchables was pretty close to the mark given that it was the exact phrase used by the female author of a recent post on Stuart's blog when discussing your preferred candidate.

    It all becomes clear now, doesn't it.

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  46. "In fact, in Jersey, it is a plutocracy against the rest and only Stuart has addressed that issue, the way in which that structure perpetuates itself through an imbalance of powers." -Rob Kent

    This is the crux of the election choice: Stuart will address the over riding issue of imbalance of power, the separation of power between the judiciary and the States, the cozy relationships between those who would limit all attempts at transparency, the "normalization" of land development corruption and those officials who use slush funds to hide their legal protection of the status quo whilst cutting funds for baby milk.

    Southern would protest the cuts in baby milk and ignore the entrenched systematic reason such unfair cuts are even proposed in the first place. Then he would probably criticise Stuart for not focusing enough on the issue of the baby milk!

    Southern will never bring Jersey closer to democracy but he can make this election about empowering an unpopular plutocracy, by costing Stuart, the only electable progressive, the election. That would be a tragedy for Jersey.

    Isn't anyone else suspicious that Southern's so-called supportors on here are really just frightened pro-establishment commenters in blind sheep clothing?

    Boomer

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  47. @Boomer, "Isn't anyone else suspicious that Southern's so-called supportors on here are really just frightened pro-establishment commenters in blind sheep clothing?"

    It's impossible to know. It's a good indication of the prevailing social and political culture in Jersey that there are so many anonymous contributors, on both sides of the argument.

    You have to ask yourself why that is. Under normal circumstances, I can see the need for it if you are an abuse victim or you are strongly anti-establishment but work for the States or a local bank, for example, but for the most part it seems unnecessary.

    I have also noticed that it is Stuart's critics who mostly remain anonymous which, as you say, immediately undermines their arguments because we cannot deduce why they are saying what they say.

    If you have an open and honest opinion, there is no reason why you should not say who you are, like you would if you stood up and spoke at the hustings or wrote to a newspaper.

    There is no problem if people want to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym - it's just that I immediately knock 20 percent off of my trust in what they are saying because I don't know if they are a troll, the same person posting loads of comments etc.

    The only time I don't do that is when people leave believable personal testimony which, for obvious reasons, could not be attributed.

    PS I know that I might be more self-censoring if I lived in Jersey and my livelihood could be affected by speaking openly. Fortunately, I don't.

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  48. I just want to say thank you for all your hard work in bringing forth the real news on the election!

    I will be voting today as will my hubby & daughter that is three votes against corruption in the island, in favour of the people who have and are still suffering injustice and or abuse of any kind. I hope everyone else will also make the effort to go and vote.

    :-)

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  49. Here is a link to Public Elections (Jersey) Law 2002.

    www.jerseylaw.je/Law/display.aspx?url=lawsinforce%2fconsolidated%2f16%2f16.600_PublicElections(Jersey)Law2002_RevisedEdition_1January2009.htm#Toc223149530

    The answer to Tick or Cross is in Article 33,
    I’ve just voted at St Brelade, they had both pens and pencils in the booths.
    Check out Article 28 (2) and 49 (3)(b) it’s about being able to watch the count.
    Also Article 47 seems relevant; remember what happened in the UK recently, people queuing and doors being shut on them.

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  50. " lcorby said...

    I just want to say thank you for all your hard work in bringing forth the real news on the election!"

    May I second that.

    With this blog you have done the job, completely unpaid, which should have been done by the island's professional mainstream media.

    Thank you.

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  51. Hi V.F.C

    Just wanted to thank all at “the Voice” who have done so much in their support for Stuart Syvret, and in exposing corruption in Jersey.

    Without Citizens Media we would not know the half of it, and therefore, not be able to make an informed choice.

    Very well done you guy’s.

    Kindest regards

    Ian

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  52. Hi just posted this on BBC (Francis Le Gresley wins by-election) in response to Jerry and Carl, Will it be shown?

    "To Jerry and Carl, I'd like to point out that Francis only had a little more than 0ne third of the vote, Stuart had one fifth of the vote only about 15% less than Francis, but the important thing to remember is that two thirds of the vote was against Francis. John Henwood did an annalist on BBC phone in today and his figures would suggest that the electorate did not make any overwhelming decision.

    (P.S. two thirds is equal to about 66%)

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