Monday 9 January 2012

Stuart Syvret and The Fourth Estate.

In this next instalment of our exclusive and in-depth interview with Former Senator Stuart Syvret we discuss Jersey's media, or "State Media" as it is increasingly becoming known. In particular we look at the BBC and its role as a credible, reliable and impartial news source.


Mr Syvret's opinion of the BBC is, just like a growing number of others, very sceptical and untrusting and, in our opinion, deservedly so.


The BBC has reported on the "prosecution case" against Former Police Chief Graham Power QPM, The prosecution case being the discredited "Wiltshire Report." This Report has been, by a number of our State Media, peddled as an "independent" Report and that it's contents are "findings." We offer the view that firstly this Report was not independent it was commissioned for disciplinary purposes which produced not a single disciplinary action against the Former Police Chief. It's "findings" are nothing more, in our opinion, than unfounded, un-proven allegations, yet our Home Affairs Minister and the State Media cling on to it as if it has some kind of credibility. 


The BBC has been in possession of the Former Police Chief's response (defence case) to the Wiltshire Report (prosecution case) for somewhere in the region of 3 months or so yet they've not reported a single word of it as they have the prosecution case. It is believed that the Former Police Chief's defence case, on a journalistic level, is "dynamite" and could blow the official version of events surrounding the Historical Child Abuse Enquiry clean out of the water, although we have already done that on this, and other Blogs. But regardless of whether this document is dynamite, or not, it is still the defence case and the BBC have an obligation, in the interest of fairness and balance, to publish it, or parts of it like they have, parts of the prosecution case.


Bloggers in Jersey are fast becoming the Fourth Estate because of this perceived, or actual, bias displayed by the State Media and it is a burden none of us should have to shoulder. Mr. Syvret tells us in the Interview (below) that he might be forced into publishing, on his Blog, Mr. Power's defence case if the State Media won't, should he or any Blogger have to do this just to add some balance to the stories put out by the State Media?

Of course we must concede that we are not professional "accredited" journalists and there could be a plausible explanation as to why the BBC can report on a prosecution case, then hang onto the defence case for so long, which it has been said, could be redacted in two hours and a bottle of Typex . If there is a plausible explanation for this then we would like to hear it.

The distrust of Jersey's State Media is compounded by the Press Statement released by the Jersey Care Leavers Association (below). It was sent to, as far as we know, all island Media. The JCLA is not convinced it will be published in any of the island's State Media so we are more than happy to publish it, in its entirety here. It is another reminder of the part played by the island's media concerning the Child Abuse atrocities that were able to occur, for decades, until the veil of secrecy was lifted by Former DCO Lenny Harper, Graham Power QPM, and their team who were the first Police Officers, in Jersey's History, to investigate the allegations concerning institutional Child Abuse. It is also another reminder that amongst all the legal/political wrangling there are real people who have had their lives, dreams, hopes, confidence and trust in humanity shattered by the very people who were supposed to care for them............The State of Jersey.

PRESS STATEMENT


Further to the Home Affairs Ministers statement on the Historic Abuse Police Enquiry and the role of the accredited media, the JCLA would like to offer the following response.

Whilst it is some small comfort, to at last have Senator Le Marquand’s recognition of the fact that matters were grossly exaggerated many times by the press, it could also be said to be too little, too late, as indeed Mr Harper has stated.

Had the BDO Alto Review not been held, it is doubtful that this statement would have ever been made. We must also, not lose sight of the fact that this review was held due to the hard work of a local blogger and the determination of the Scrutiny Panel headed by Deputy Trevor Pitman.

Notwithstanding the above, the reputations of two honourable police officers, and abuse survivors have also been brought into question, and the three conclusions mentioned by Senator Le Marquand from the Wiltshire Reports clearly show that the media frenzy that surrounded this whole sorry affair was very misjudged.

Indeed, Senator Le Marquand himself allowed this misinformation to be published, and indeed at times fanned the fire by his defensive answers to questions in the States Chamber. It was not helped at all by calling Mr Harper ‘an incompetent maverick’, amongst other derogatory statements which are well documented.

Part of an editorial comment in the JEP dated Monday 24th August 2009 says: ‘In addition, on the strength of what was clearly a flawed investigation from its very outset and the hype which surrounded it, the Island has paid a terrible price through the enormous cost of misdirected police work and, more importantly, in terms of its reputation’. Quite clearly Wiltshire did not think this the case.

There will always be a case of ‘we beg to differ’ over the question of the child’s skull/coconut, but it cannot be dismissed that 65 children’s teeth were found under the floorboards, fresh, fleshed and burnt bones were found, the matter of the lime pits and many other questions left unanswered. There are the abused whose cases were never brought before the Courts despite ample evidence, who will never feel that the Police investigations were full and properly concluded, and questions relating to the behaviour of Mr Gradwell.

Only when a full, transparent and thorough Committee of Inquiry is approved and finalised will it be possible to say that there is a conclusion to this affair. (END)


It remains to be seen if this Press Statement will see the light of day in any of Jersey's State Media.

It also remains to be seen who will publish the defence case of Mr. Graham Power QPM first, a Blogger (The Fourth Estate in Jersey) or the State Media.

Part one of this interview can be viewed HERE

30 comments:

  1. "Part of an editorial comment in the JEP dated Monday 24th August 2009 says: ‘In addition, on the strength of what was clearly a flawed investigation from its very outset and the hype which surrounded it, the Island has paid a terrible price through the enormous cost of misdirected police work and, more importantly, in terms of its reputation’. Quite clearly Wiltshire did not think this the case"

    VFC

    As you will be aware I will be showing just what the JEP were doing. They are the toxic rubbish that still gets a golden handshake from our government.

    This must stop

    rs

    ReplyDelete
  2. So many words yet never any action as per normal and all this "They are the toxic rubbish that still gets a golden handshake from our government. This must stop".

    Golden hand shakes? Are you real? Most people don't even bother buying it or only read the online version at a push so why you give this paper so much credit all the time must be music to their ears.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is not the BBC as an institution running a very big risk in participating in the Jersey cover ups the way it so obviously has?

    When the truth really gets out in a big way, all of Jersey's msm will be discredited but that's scarcely a big deal to the local syndicate. But THE BBC nationally has it all to lose. Suppose you people in Jersey succeed in getting a major national or international newspaper, or broadcast news service, to take an interest? The story's ready made for them on a plate, the documented evidence is all there. 'The Failure of the Rule of Law and of Free Democracy in the British Channel Island of Jersey'.

    Then were does the BBC put its face?

    They've had all this, all of the evidence, a really serious story, enough for several documentaries, available to them for a few years now. All that opportunity. And to put the cherry on the cake, they've got the Graham Power statement.

    But the BBC has stayed silent.

    Basically, they've passively colluded with your corrupt 'oligarchy'. Even staying silent whilst a leading opposition politician gets harassed, suppressed and jailed for speaking out against the corruption. I'm no expert in national and international journalism, but I just can't escape the feeling the BBC have really got themselves into a massive and historically and internationally significant hole here.

    The real story and full scrutiny is not going to be avoided forever. And when it comes out I just can't see any hiding place for the BBC.

    I'm not sure their bosses see it yet, but 'The Jersey Cover Ups' could be the BBC's 'black swan'. Maybe even the most damaging scandal in the corporation's history.

    All the ingredients are there.

    Think about it.

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  4. Proof, if proof were needed of the utter contempt and bias that the JEP show towards the HAE and the abuse survivors.

    32 words only, yes 32 used from the full press statement, which it was requested was printed UNEDITED. It could not have been any more edited than that!

    Could it be anything to do with the fact that it was very truthful in its assessment of the discredited media and our Home Affairs Minister. Let's face it the truth hurts, particularly when it is requested to be printed in the very paper which made that damning editorial comment which was so incorrect.

    I've said it before and I will say it again - thank God for the good bloggers of Jersey!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jill.

    No more proof is needed when it comes to the gumph churned out by the JEP, who pick up in the region of £300,000 from the States of Jersey annually.

    But what reason could the BBC have for their refusal to publish Graham Power's defence case?

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  6. Lenny Harper and the Jersey Care Leavers Association were both given airtime last week on BBC Jersey.

    Surely that's progress?

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  7. Should we be thankful because BBC Jersey has let somebody talk? Well in honesty I suppose yes we should and yes it is progress. What any real credible “news” outlet should have done, from the word go, is “challenge.” If the BBC, or any of our State Media had challenged the government’s official line in the first place this cover-up would never have gotten this far.

    Now what the BBC should be doing is investigating what was said by Carrie Modral and Lenny Harper. Letting people talk, or repeating what people say is not journalism. The BBC should also be publishing/broadcasting the defense case of Graham Power QPM. Question is why won’t/haven’t they? Have they published, as requested, the JCLA Press Release in its entirety, if not why not?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I suppose depressing as so much of this has been, the lack of change at the elections included, maybe we should be encouraged that none of these begrudging admittences such as the Gradwell one today would never have come about without Big Trev's Scrutiny Review? Slow progress but surely some progress.

    Did anyone else notice that the Rag just couldn't bring themselves to even mention that the sub-panel politicians were right and have been proven so? It is - and I hate to use the analogy - like pulling teeth.

    Spin, spin, spin. Just compare Big Trev's eye-witness account of the PPC meeting on his blog with the garbage churned out again in the Rag today by Ben Queeree gushing on about Ballsache. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Correct, the JEP could not afford to bring too much attention to the Scrutiny Sub Panel's Report because that Report exposed all the toxicity in the island's media.

    Ian Le Marquand said, in the JEP, that Gradwell had told him that he had leaked this stuff to a journalist. Gradwell told him in late 2009 early 2010 and the JEP Reporter didn't seek to find the answer to the most glaring question and that is "Why didn't ILM say anything back then?" Why did ILM keep it a secret?

    One last question "why hasn't the BBC published/broadcast Graham Power's defence case?"

    ReplyDelete
  10. Scrutiny Sub Panel’s finding regarding Gradwell’s alleged leak to the media.

    5.5 “Mr. Gradwell’s reasons for taking such an unprofessional step are not clear to us as he refused to participate in the Scrutiny review.”

    Ian Le Marquand’s response.

    “Agreed. Mr Gradwell did explain his behaviour in a telephone call to me in late 2009 or early 2010, but this was not included in my evidence as I was not asked about this.”

    So ILM believes, in his position as Home Affairs Minister, that if a senior Investigating Officer of a live Child Abuse Enquiry tells him he had leaked confidential information to a “journalist” with a history of supporting convicted paedophiles, then it’s not worth mentioning unless he gets asked about it? This, if it wasn’t so tragic and frightening, could almost be funny, but it’s not funny………..it’s tragic and frightening because, among many other reasons, Ian Le Marquand is still the Home Affairs Minister.

    Any ideas as to why the BBC haven’t published ANY of Graham Powers defense case?

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  11. Le Marquand has to go.he can,t be trusted.

    ReplyDelete
  12. “Agreed. Mr Gradwell did explain his behaviour in a telephone call to me in late 2009 or early 2010, but this was not included in my evidence as I was not asked about this.”


    You forget that they were shafting Graham Power and discrediting Lenny Harper during the above time period hence the Minister remaining quiet.

    Wiltshire was still on going. How could he have come out about MG leaking and still shaft Power & Harper?

    Wiltshire didn't come until mid 2010

    And yet he remained quiet

    Truly Shocking

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  13. Lets hope there is someone in the new assembly who has the balls to challenge Le Marquand and his lies and holding back of important information, in order to let his public (the ones who voted for him)know, just what a clown they wasted their vote on.

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  14. Ian Le Marquand is finished.

    Or, at least he would be - were the Jersey polity and its attendant culture not so decadent.

    It is not as though the intellectually and ethically bankrupt position ILM chose to adopt was some cunningly disguised trap that he innocently fell into.

    It was entirely obvious even to ordinary members of the public - people with zero political, legal or journalistic experience - that ILM - blinded as he so obviously was by his vanity and egomania - was being used to maintain and see through the dirty work of the Bailhache brothers and Walker and Lewis.

    Many people commented on the blogs at the time, from the time he was elected, that what ILM should do, if he possessed any capacity for sound judgment at all, was to end the obviously unlawful and unjustified suspension of Graham Power.

    Instead - like a damn fool - he carried on with the whole false, wicked and reprehensible exercise.

    And now he will have to reap what he sowed. He has already - in the eyes of any thinking person - shown himself to be absurd - issuing these recent statements which are - plainly, and despite their weasel-words - clear confessions that he was 100% wrong in the toxic assertions he repeatedly made for all those many months concerning Mr Power and Mr Harper.

    Just how shameful - how wretched - do all those many assertions made by ILM when answering questions or making statements in the legislature now appear?

    He is one of that common specie in Jersey - a person powerfully convinced of their Christianity and righteousness, yet who routinely acts with a shameful and self-deluding disregard for even the most rudimentary of ethics and consideration of the truth.

    There is only one way that ILM could redeem himself from the folly he's enmired in - and that is to resign as Home Affairs Minister - and admit plainly he was hoodwinked, and exercised poor judgment - but has now recognised the truth, and henceforth he will join the fight for justice.

    Alas - I don't believe he, as a person, possesses the necessary qualities to take that step.

    Stuart

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  15. JEP own Comment At the heart of Island life since 1890 piece. Page 10 Tue 10th Jan 2012

    Policeman who blew the Whistle

    Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand has criticised Mick Gradwell, the detective who swept up the mess left in the wake of the historical child abuse inquiry, for leaking information to the press. Senator Le Marquand was right to do so, but it is only fair to ask why the detective felt compelled to spill the beans to the national media, notably the Daily Mail.

    Mr. Gradwell was brought in after the retirement of the deputy chief officer of the States Police, Lenny Harper, to try to make sense of an inquiry which had dragged Jersey's good name through the mud but had resulted in few prosecutions and no evidence whatsoever of the high-level conspiracies and cover-ups that some still continue to insist must have been at the heart of the matter. What his inquiries revealed clearly conflicted with the standards that he believed should characterise a properly conducted investigation into alleged crimes of the most serious nature.

    Wrongly he reached the conclusion that the botched business should receive the oxygen of publicity at the earliest possible moment. That he should of waited until the official report into the whole matter could be published is beyond question.

    However, if Mr Gradwell's timing was at fault as far as the dissemination of information was concerned, the findings of his inquiry remain as sound as they ever were. Criticism of his unprofessional handling of the information he gathered does not undermine the conclusions he was forced to draw from what he discovered relating to the chaotic search at Haut de la Garenne and to the resources that had been poured into the case. He had quite correctly identified the frantic pursuit of forensic evidence that was never there and the profligate expenditure of public funds that ensued in that fruitless effort.

    We might call Mr. Gradwell a whistleblower, though, it must be said, one could have envisaged the legitimate means of publishing information which the public deserved to hear without resorting to whistle-blowing. If he deserves that label, it is ironic that those who are keenest to attack his approach and his findings are very eager to uphold the general principle of whistleblowing - provided that it suit their agenda and their entrenched interpretation of the whole Haut de la Garenne debacle.
    End.

    What information exactly did Mr. Gradwell whistleblow? No dead bodies? Where did Mr. Harper ever claim this? Brought in to make sense of an inquiry which had dragged Jersey's good name through the mud? Says it all.
    Resulted in few prosecutions? who closed the case why so few prosectuions? Speak to the law officers. Botched business? claim JEP Gradwell or Le Maruand?

    Where can I read Mr Gradwells findings the JEP article hangs its hat on?

    ReplyDelete
  16. You mean this JEP


    An extract from the link.

    "169. BDO Alto further maintained that Mr. Harper was not the subject of their review and it was not the intention of the report to be directly critical of him or of any other individual. BDO Alto said that they had acknowledged the hard work of Police officers and third party contractors during the course of the Operation Rectangle enquiry and confirmed that ‘The report is not intended to be in any way critical of their individual efforts…."

    So what are the Headlines the JEP run with?

    • Celebrity lifestyle of Lenny Harper and his officers


    • Meals in top-class restaurants and first class travel at expense of tax payers


    • £42,000 – the overtime paid to a single officer in the first 15 months of the historical abuse enquiry


    • No dog’s life for handler with luxury hotel lifestyle


    • Hot on the trail of top London restaurants


    • Lenny Harper and his team enjoyed £90-a-head meals and travelled first class at taxpayers’ expense, an accountants’ report revealed


    • Off to Scotland Yard again 


    • First class on the Gatwick Express (END)

    “Journalism” JEP style.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Claude Donnelly - Arrested in April 2008

    Gordon Wateridge - Arrested in May 2008

    Michael Aubin - Arrested in May 2008

    The File on the Jordans was completed and handed over long before Lenny Harper left at the end of July 2008.


    What jumps out at you when looking at the above dates?

    Gradwell not seconded to Jersey until Sept 2008


    If the above cases were allready, underway as Rico posted on his blog which I copy and pasted above. was Gradwell ever conducting an investigation into historical child abuse? Did he personally take any witness statements or present any cases to the law officers or was he simply brought in to close the investigation and some reputation management

    Jep article (Mr. Gradwell was brought in after the retirement of the deputy chief officer of the States Police, Lenny Harper, to try to make sense of an inquiry which had dragged Jersey's good name through the mud but had resulted in few prosecutions and no evidence whatsoever of the high-level conspiracies and cover-ups that some still continue to insist must have been at the heart of the matter.)

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  18. Did Mr. Harper not say there was a recording of whistleblower of sorts to the States of Jersey Police. Would this be included in the Committee of Inquiry If it could be shown ministers were trashing the investigation to shut it down, Would that be whistleblowing in the style the Jep wish to call it?

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  19. Mr. Graham Power, and Lenny Harper have both said there should be a tape recording of a telephone conversation between Mr. Power and David Rose. The tape recorded telephone conversation, according to Mr. Power, was of David Rose telling him that he had received an e-mail from a (now) former Jersey Politician. The e-mail should never have been leaked to Mr. Rose and it has been suggested that the e-mail had at some point been doctored.

    The question is was this politician doing whatever he could to discredit the Abuse Enquiry, or was he "whislteblowing?" Hopefully the Committee of Enquiry will give us the answer.

    Why hasn't BBC Jersey published/broadcast the defence case of Graham Power QPM?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Could State media give us the name of the reporter who gave us the diatribe as JEP comment on page 10

    State media Still trashing Mr. Powers investigation

    Chaotic search

    Make sense of an inquiry which had dragged Jersey's good name through the mud
    (Mr. powers sworn statment could clear this up)

    No evidence whatsoever of high level conspiracies
    (Mr Powers sworn statement could clear this up)

    The findings of his inquiry remain sound as they ever were.
    (What findings)

    The conclusions he was forced to draw from what he discovered relating to the chaotic search at Haut de La Garenne and to the resources that had been poured into the case.
    (Who forced him to draw conclusions? Mr. Powers statement could clear this up)

    He quite correctly identified the frantic pursuit of forensic evidence that was never there.
    (Burnt bones, teeth? )

    and the profligate expenditure of public funds that ensued in that fruitless effort.
    (Mr. Powers statement could clear this up)

    Why was Mr. Power suspended?

    The inference from the comment in the JEP is a fine example of State media and reputation management at work.

    It is ironic State media will not publish Mr. Powers sworn affidavit it would not suit their agenda.

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  21. Besides the sworn affidavits of Mr. Harper and Mr. Power, the 4 ACPO Reports, that haven’t seen the light of day in the State Media, could help put the record straight. No doubt so could Mr. Powers 62,000 word statement to Wiltshire, the statement that the BBC is keeping to themselves despite reporting on the prosecution case against Mr. Power.

    Why haven’t the BBC broadcast/published Mr. Power’s defense case?

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  22. A reader says:

    "Was Gradwell ever conducting an investigation into historical child abuse?"

    No - he was not.

    Gradwell was employed to "investigate" me and Lenny Harper.

    He spent at least six months of his time in Jersey focused on nothing except the core task of sabotaging and discrediting the work of Mr Power and Mr Harper and me.

    He had two full-time police officers - both of who were ostensibly working on child abuse cases - and other grave personal attacks - but who's real task was to subject me to full-time surveillance and investigation.

    The same two police officers were used to "break the bad news" to many abuse survivors - and other victims - that "it wasn't going to be possible to charge their attackers". Basically, to lie to many victims of crime.

    Gradwell - and the various people and external agencies under his direction - were employed to save the Jersey oligarchy - to cover-up many grave crimes, by sabotaging and attacking the genuine investigators.

    Those are the facts.

    They're coming out.

    Stuart

    ReplyDelete
  23. A reader say:

    "Could State media give us the name of the reporter who gave us the diatribe as JEP comment on page 10."

    That leader comment will not have been written by a reporter.

    It has all the hallmarks of the Guiton Group boss, John Averty.

    Stuart

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hope you dont mind me copying and pasting JCLA here

    JCLA Press Statement
    PRESS STATEMENT




    Further to the Home Affairs Ministers statement on the Historic Abuse Police Enquiry and the role of the accredited media, the JCLA would like to offer the following response.


    Whilst it is some small comfort, to at last have Senator Le Marquand’s recognition of the fact that matters were grossly exaggerated many times by the press, it could also be said to be too little, too late, as indeed Mr Harper has stated.


    Had the BDO Alto Review not been held, it is doubtful that this statement would have ever been made. We must also, not lose sight of the fact that this review was held due to the hard work of a local blogger and the determination of the Scrutiny Panel headed by Deputy Trevor Pitman.


    Notwithstanding the above, the reputations of two honourable police officers, and abuse survivors have also been brought into question, and the three conclusions mentioned by Senator Le Marquand from the Wiltshire Reports clearly show that the media frenzy that surrounded this whole sorry affair was very misjudged.


    Indeed, Senator Le Marquand himself allowed this misinformation to be published, and indeed at times fanned the fire by his defensive answers to questions in the States Chamber. It was not helped at all by calling Mr Harper ‘an incompetent maverick’, amongst other derogatory statements which are well documented.


    Part of an editorial comment in the JEP dated Monday 24th August 2009 says: ‘In addition, on the strength of what was clearly a flawed investigation from its very outset and the hype which surrounded it, the Island has paid a terrible price through the enormous cost of misdirected police work and, more importantly, in terms of its reputation’. Quite clearly Wiltshire did not think this the case.


    There will always be a case of ‘we beg to differ’ over the question of the child’s skull/coconut, but it cannot be dismissed that 65 children’s teeth were found under the floorboards, fresh, fleshed and burnt bones were found, the matter of the lime pits and many other questions left unanswered. There are the abused whose cases were never brought before the Courts despite ample evidence, who will never feel that the Police investigations were full and properly concluded, and questions relating to the behaviour of Mr Gradwell.


    Only when a full, transparent and thorough Committee of Inquiry is approved and finalised will it be possible to say that there is a conclusion to this affair. (END)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I notice the JCLA statement does not have a date on it. I think it should be dated for the record.

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  26. "I notice the JCLA statement does not have a date on it. I think it should be dated for the record."

    We are reliably informed the the Press Statement was sent to CTV, BBC and JEP (State Media) on Friday 6th January 2012.

    Why haven’t the BBC broadcast/published Mr. Power’s defense case?

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  27. 'Ex-Senator Stuart Syvret said...
    Ian Le Marquand is finished.'

    Do we just add this to the long list then do we?

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  28. Just had to laugh today about the comment above. Yes, add it to Stuart's list of accurate predictions. Stuart was just a bit early, not wrong.

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