BBC Correction.

Further to our PREVIOUS POSTING (or possibly as a consequent of) the BBC has issued a "correction" (not an apology for knowingly misleading its viewer(s)) concerning its report last Thursday on the alleged "murder investigation" at Haute de la Garenne. (previous posting).

Readers of the previous post will be aware that former Senior Investigating Officer of the Jersey Child Abuse Inquiry, Lenny Harper, and VFC submitted a complaint to the BBC Trust after trying to rectify the situation quickly, and easily, at a local level but managing director of BBC Jersey, Jon Gripton, didn't acknowledge either of our e-mails.

This is a small victory for those of us fighting for accurate reporting, an end to the propaganda and cover-up, also a reminder to the Chair of the Committee of Inquiry, Francis Oldham QC, that it's not the Bloggers who knowingly broadcast false information.

Below is a video of the "offending article" and the BBC's "correction" (not an apology for knowingly misleading its viewer(s)).

For those who wish to give evidence to the Committee of Inquiry please make contact through its website HERE.

BBC Carries on Misleading the public.

"JERSEY MURDER INQUIRY UNLIKELY."

That was the headline on the BBC's website in July 2008. The article went on to quote the then Senior Investigating Officer of the Jersey Child Abuse Inquiry, Lenny Harper, who said;

"The indications are that if the results come back the same way as they have now, it is obvious there won't be a homicide inquiry."(emphasis added)

Mr. Harper is also quoted, in the same BBC article, as saying;

"But at the end of the day there just might not be the evidence to mount a homicide inquiry."(Emphasis added)

Former Senator, and Health Minister, Stuart Syvret, is quoted, in the very same article, as saying 

"it was important to remember the abuse that occurred at the home, even if there was no murder inquiry."(emphasis added)

The full BBC article can be read HERE.

So it should be safe to say, going by the BBC's own website, that the BBC knows full well no murder inquiry was ever launched in 2008 or any other time.

This Posting comes on the back of the last posting where, early indications show, that local Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) will not enjoy the same access to the Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry as the State Media. In the previous posting there were a number of links demonstrating why local Blogs are the most trusted, and accurate, news source on the Island when it comes to the Child Abuse cover-up, and it is the State Media who has buried documents, misled the public, and stand accused, in some circles, as being complicit in the cover-up.

The previous posting, including its links, should be read to put this posting into perspective and can be read HERE.

Hopefully readers will have read the previous posting and know that the Chair of the Committee of Inquiry, Francis Oldham QC, was on the Island last Thursday 23 March 2014 to appeal for witnesses to come forward and give evidence to the Inquiry. She was interviewed by State TV while Bloggers were not even told of her presence on the Island thus denied an interview.

I watched the local BBC's article, and interview with Ms. Oldham QC, and quickly realised that the broadcast, or its content, was completely misleading.

The BBC told its viewer(s);  

"It was the launch of a murder investigation at the site (HDLG) back in 2008 that thrust Jersey's care system into the international spotlight."

After hearing/watching this I e-mailed former SIO Lenny Harper, copied in was managing editor of BBC Jersey, Jon Gripton, and a number of national journalists.

I wrote;

"Mr. Harper.

As I'm sure you are aware an appeal for witnesses was launched yesterday by the Child Abuse COI Chairman Frances Oldham QC.

The local State Media was broadcasting its usual propaganda and not least the discredited, and disgraced BBC. (managing editor copied in)

On last night's (Thurs 13th March 2014) local 6:30 "news" programme we were told;

"But it was the launch of a murder investigation in 2008 that thrust Jersey's care system into the international spotlight." 

I am blacklisted by the BBC, that is to say that any e-mails/tweets/Facebook comments I submit are ignored because (according to Jon Gripton) I published, on my Blog, a photo of him he didn't like.

As you were the Senior Investigating Officer in 2008 and know (as does the BBC) there NEVER was a murder investigation launched, and you have repeated that fact many, many times, you might want to consider asking Mr. Gripton to correct the "mistake" with an apology by broadcasting the "truth" on tonight's "news" programme?

Like I said, I am blacklisted by the BBC, so it is not possible for me to ask him.

VFC"(END)

To which Mr. Harper promptly replied;

Good morning VFC.  Please forgive the brief nature of this response, as I am heading out for the day.

I am a little surprised that the BBC should repeat this bit of nonsense again, as I am clearly on record many, many, times, stating and re-stating that there was NO murder investigation.  Although we had evidence that children died there, or at least their remains were there, we could never find evidence that a child was actually killed there.  There are numerous open source references to this, and to myself repeating this over and over again, not least on the BBC news web site.  Perhaps the most obvious is the article on the BBC website of Thursday 31st July 2008, under the heading "Jersey Murder Inquiry Unlikely."  Here again I give a clear indication that there is insufficient evidence to launch a murder investigation not least because of the conflicting evidence from experts about the age of the bones.  It raises, once again, questions about the integrity of the BBC in Jersey.

Lenny Harper.(END)

A number of e-mail exchanges took place and I then wrote back to Mr. Harper the following day saying;

"Mr. Harper.

After watching the local BBC "news" last night where there was no attempt  made to inform the viewers of the truth I shall be submitting a complaint to the BBC Trust (for what it's worth)!

It might be that Mr. Gripton has had the professionalism/common courtesy to reply to your e-mail, if so, could you let me know and I will hold fire on my complaint? If not I will submit my complaint this morning."(END)

Mr. Harper wrote back telling me he hadn't had a reply from Mr. Gripton. Five days later and Mr. Gripton has still not had the common courtesy to acknowledge any of our e-mails, nor correct the misleading information broadcast on State TV. Both myself, and former SIO Harper have now submitted a complaint to the BBC Trust.

The question has to be asked as to why the BBC would want to knowingly broadcast such misleading information? Why (wrongly) mention anything about murder inquiries when the Committee of Inquiry is appealing for witnesses of abuse? Just what is the BBC'S agenda, and why, after its misleading, and non reporting of Haute de la Garenne issues including the Jimmy Savile scandal is the BBC trusted, by anybody, let alone the COI, over and above the trusted Bloggers?

We encourage anyone/everyone wishing to submit evidence to the Committee of Inquiry to make contact through its website HERE.

Below is an edited version of the misleading information broadcast by the BBC on 13 March 2014 and below that is the full version.

 

Bloggers to be marginalised by Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry?

Bloggers (Jersey's only independent, and most trusted, media) look to be getting sidelined/excluded by the newly formed Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry.

Regular readers of the Team Voice sites will know that we have been reporting the "evidence and facts" concerning the Child Abuse cover-up and related issues. We have published the official documents buried by the State Media, exposed the State Media, for what looks to be their complicity in the cover-up of events ,since the original Child Abuse Investigation (Operation Rectangle) went public.

The State Media has given us Tooth Fairy Tales, told us, through the discredited, and disgraced, Mick Gradwell that the cellars at Haute de la Garenne didn't EXIST.

We've attempted (unlike the State Media) to discover how a piece of child's skull containing 1.6% collagen (only found in mammals) can turn into a piece of COCONUT.

Indeed, just in one posting alone, (including its links) we blew the lid off of the propaganda being fed to us by the Establishment and its media concerning the Child Abuse (and related events) cover up which can, and SHOULD be viewed HERE.

When the State media has been BURYING DOCUMENTS, kicking Abuse Victims/Survivors in THE TEETH, or just "OPINION MANAGING" Bloggers have been bringing you the bare facts and giving the Abuse Survivors/Victims a voice denied to them by the local State Media.

Team Voice has published official transcripts of "in-camera" (secret) States (parliament) DEBATES. We have published the letter which got our most Senior ranking Police Officer, Graham Power QPM (illegally?) SUSPENDED. Not to mention the infamous supposed MET INTERIM REPORT.

We have been able to do this by gaining the trust of concerned whistleblowers who have leaked us these and many more, published (on our Blogs) documents. We have their trust and confidence to publish these documents where the local State Media clearly DO NOT. 

We have published possibly the most in-depth interview the Former Police Chief has EVER GIVEN. We have published his AFFIDAVIT.

We have also extensively, and exclusively, video interviewed Former DCO and Senior Investigating Officer, Lenny Harper who has regularly contributed to this Blog to include a GUEST POSTING. Our last video interview was published HERE although we did publish a live interview Mr. Harper gave to Sonia Poulton HERE.

Mr. Harper has been the victim of a relentless smear campaign by State Media, and paedophile protectors ever since he unearthed Jersey's dirty secrets. A five part interview with Mr. Harper covering the topic of the State Media smear campaign and much, much, more can be viewed from HERE.

We have gained the recognition of National/International Journalists and featured in a number of broadsheet publications for our researched and credible published documents. We have contributed to a number of TV Documentaries some already broadcast and others yet to be broadcast. Most important of all we have gained the trust of Abuse Victims/Survivors.

What questions has the State Media ever asked? When has the State Media ever been leaked a document..........And published it.......JON GRIPTON? All the State Media has ever done is to regurgitate Establishment Press Releases and bury anything that is uncomfortable for the Establishment. Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) have challenged "The Party Line" and not just repeated/regurgitated it.

Below are a couple of e-mails between VFC, Mike Haden (Clerk to the Inquiry) and, who appears to be, the Press Officer Peter Jones. Where it appears the COI Panel are looking to exclude/marginalise Bloggers and not allow us the same access as the local, State Media.

Thursday 13th March 2014 I wrote to Mike Haden

"Mr. Haden.

Thank you for speaking with me yesterday on the phone. However you left me with the impression that the COI website was going to be "all singing - all dancing" and would answer all my questions you couldn't/wouldn't when it went live (last night).

After being on the website I am none the wiser. It is (far from being all singing all dancing) a very basic website that could have been thrown together in a matter of hours let alone the months it has supposed to have been under construction.

You assured me that the questions I've been asking (for months) concerning inclusion/exclusion of Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) would be answered on the website..............They're not. What's more these questions, I feel, have been ducked, and dived, by yourself, and Michael De La Haye before you and STILL remain unanswered.

On the 6th February 2014 (after asking for months before that) I wrote to you, in an e-mail, the following;

"Could you please also ask Francis Oldham QC if myself, and Rico Sorda, can be included in all Press Releases from the COI at the same time as the State Media bearing in mind that we Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) have adhered to EVERY Press Release embargo, unlike the State Media, the JEP being a case in point of the last Press Release from the COI where it breached the embargo.

I have discussed this with Mr. De La Haye in the past where I pointed out that myself, and Rico, have the trust and confidence of the JCLA and Victims/Survivors of the abuse. As a whole the State Media isn't trusted by, not only the Victims/Survivors, but (according to the latest annual social survey) 60% of Islanders who also DON'T trust the local State Media.

I hope this Inquiry, or Francis Oldham QC, will see the benefit in including myself and Rico in all Press Releases/conferences and will steer clear of "The Jersey Way" by excluding us, as I explained to Mr. De La Haye, It is not the trust and confidence of the Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) that is up for question. It is that of the Jersey authorities, its media and indeed the COI itself." (END)

It is now time I/we were given the answers and I once more ask you to get them from whoever IS able to answer them.

As mentioned earlier the answers are NOT on the COI website like you said they would be on the phone yesterday, and I don't know how many times I need to keep asking them and for how long?

I look forward to a prompt reply."(END E-MAIL)

Mr. Haden then phoned me and told me there is a NEW set of "correct channels", through the COI Panel's website, where I had to ask all the same questions, to the same people that he was supposed to have asked for me months ago.

I duly did this here on the same day/date.

E-mail to COI Press Person.

Dear Anonymous.

I have been attempting to get a number of questions answered concerning Blogger (Jersey's only independent media) inclusion surrounding the access to media releases/ Press Conferences/interviews coming from the COI Panel which I have been told, by Mr Haden, have been passed onto "somebody" at the COI panel. I have repeatedly been asking these questions since November 2013 and have never received any answers.

I have gone through the "correct channels" and have now been told by Mr. Haden that there is another set of "correct channels" I must go through in order to ask the SAME questions.

I reproduce (below) my latest e-mail to Mr. Haden sent this morning in the hope that you, or somebody, will finally give me/my readers the long awaited answers?

I am informed that the COI Panel read my, and Rico Sorda's Blog, and would have done sufficient research to now know that we are credible, and most importantly of all "trusted" by the JCLA, Abuse Survivors/Victims, national journalists, UK MP's, local MP's to name but a few.

The COI Panel SHOULD also be aware that the local mainstream media DO NOT share that same trust and stand accused of complicity in "The Jersey Cover-up." 

With that in mind I ask that the COI Panel allow the same media access to Rico Sorda, and myself, as the mainstream media are granted?

Please don't tell me that an announcement will be made on the 3rd of April concerning the media matters as this will give us NO chance to appeal the decision should it be concluded (as I suspect it will be) that Bloggers will be excluded.

I/we would like the opportunity to make our case before any decision is reached by the Panel and am dismayed that we (Bloggers) have not been approached by the Panel in order to make our case.

Finally it is a little off putting having to write to a media contact who is anonymous, could you please give us your name?(END)

Some 24 hrs later I received a reply from somebody called Peter Jones.

E-mail from COI Media person Peter Jones 14 March 2014.

Thank you for your enquiry about access to media releases / press conferences / interviews in relation to the IJCI.

Questions of media accreditation and access will be explained at the preliminary hearing on 3 April.  As you know, this is a public hearing. 

We are aware of the public interest in the Inquiry's work and, in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website.

Kind regards,

Peter Jones

Eversheds LLP

Solicitors to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry

To which I promptly replied on the same day.

Thank you for your reply. However you have completely ignored my concerns and would like you to kindly address them?

For example I wrote, among other things;

"Please don't tell me that an announcement will be made on the 3rd of April concerning the media matters as this will give us NO chance to appeal the decision should it be concluded (as I suspect it will be) that Bloggers will be excluded.

I/we would like the opportunity to make our case before any decision is reached by the Panel and am dismayed that we (Bloggers) have not been approached by the Panel in order to make our case."

Then you wrote;

"Questions of media accreditation and access will be explained at the preliminary on 3 April."

It's almost as if I didn't ask the question when in fact I have been asking these questions since November 2013! Would you please (I did say "please" in the previous e-mail also) answer the questions, or give me a valid reason as to why Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) are not being given the opportunity to state their case as to why we should be included?

Furthermore I take issue with your assertion;

"We are aware of the public interest in the Inquiry's work and, in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website."

Why then, if you are to be believed, were the local State Media given an interview by Frances Oldham QC yesterday and obviously told about Ms. Oldham actually being on the Island when Ms. Oldham's presence on the Island was purposely kept hidden by Mr. Haden from myself, and as far as I am aware, the JCLA?

With that mind could you tell me, as you claim "in the interests of fairness and impartiality, we will be making all relevant information available to everyone at the same time, by publishing it on the website." Where on the website is it written that Frances Oldham QC was on the Island and available for media interviews?

I look forward to you very clear and concise answers in the interest of openness, transparency and to use your words  "in the interests of fairness and impartiality."(E-MAIL END)

Not surprisingly I have not, as yet, received a reply from Mr. Jones but will keep readers informed.

Former Jersey Politician, 30 year Met Police Veteran, and Blogger BOB HILL B.E.M who was instrumental in forming the Terms of Reference (as were Team Voice) for this Committee of Inquiry and avid campaigner/Blogger for truth and justice for Abuse Survivors/Victims has made his own submission, as a Blogger, to the COI Panel, and as far as I'm aware has not had a reply either.

Similarly Former Senator, and Health Minister STUART SYVRET who has campaigned tirelessly for the Abuse Survivors/Victims has also made his own submission, as a Blogger, to the COI Panel but he too, as far as I'm aware has not received a reply.

We can only hope that the COI Panel DO NOT exclude Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) from the process as we are arguably the most trusted and credible news source on the Island. The State Media is not trusted and has no credibility, as the links in this Posting demonstrate.

This Committee of Inquiry NEEDS to be seen as open and transparent in order to gain credibility and TRUST and for Jersey to be able to move forward after dealing with its sordid, and ghastly past. If Bloggers are excluded, and we have to rely on the discredited, and disgraced, State Media to report the TRUTH then we will have learnt that "The Jersey Way" still prevails and NO lessons have been learnt.

It's time to start doing things differently.

The Committee of Inquiry's website can be viewed Here and there is a permanent link to it on the left hand side of this Blog-Site at the bottom of the Blog Links.

To learn more of the related Postings published by VFC simply click on any name in the labels at the bottom of this post.

Reform Jersey's Deputies Le Cornu and Mezec (Exclusive).

Newly elected Deputies and Members of Reform Jersey, Nick Le Cornu, and Sam Mezec, have given their first official, and exclusive, interview since being elected in St Helier No.1 and 2 respectively. They kindly accepted an invitation from VFC to discuss their victory at the polls, to explain who, or what Reform Jersey is, what it/they hope to achieve before the October General Election, what is the long-term goal of Reform Jersey? Party Politics, Citizens Media, Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) and plenty more subjects we hope will be informative to those who care about Jersey politics and the direction this Island is heading.

Deputies Le Cornu and Mezec, as part of Reform Jersey, have a vision of bringing Jersey politics into the twenty first century. Both have been Blogging for a number of years, have a fairly high profile across Social Media, to include Twitter and Facebook accounts (links at bottom of post). Professor Adrian Lee, an expert in politics in small jurisdictions, believes their online presence on Social Media played a part in their successful election which would suggest that Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) and Social Media, as a whole, IS becoming more influential in 21st century politics.

Reform Jersey believes the way forward for the Island's politics lies with a party system which they say will bring an end to "personality politics" and offer more (at least some) accountability at the Ballot Box. This is something that is being talked about, and has been for some time, across the political divide and is starting to look like a reality.........Finally!

If you, the reader/viewer, would like to get involved with Reform Jersey, either as a volunteer, a member, a potential candidate or if you have an issue where you need some political representation and believe they can help you can e-mail them at  reformjersey@gmail.com. They don't, as yet, have a government e-mail address but when they do we will publish it in the comments section of this post.

Deputy Mezec's Blog can be viewed HERE. He can be followed on Twitter @SamMezec.

Deputy Le Cornu's Blog can be viewed HERE. He can be followed on Twitter @NickLeCornu.

VFC can be followed on Twitter @TheVoiceJersey

"Scrutiny" The Steve Pallett way (2)

In continuance of our series concerning the allegations made by disgraced former so-called "Drug Counsellor" at Jersey's La Moye Prison, Ms Teresa Rodrigues, we bring our readers the latest developments (or not) from the Panel who are tasked with "scrutinising" the policies and procedures of the Home Affairs Department which includes the Prison.

We first reported on this subject two weeks ago where we published a series of e-mails between VFC, the Chairman of Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Constable Steve Pallet and Scrutiny Panel Member (another) Constable Michel Le Troquer which was published HERE.

Regular readers will know (from the link above) that Ms. Rodrigues claimed, in a National Newspaper, that she had two year sexual relationship (whilst employed at the prison) with prison inmate Curtis Warren.

Scrutiny Chairman, Constable Steve Pallett, refused to take the allegations seriously because they appeared in a newspaper that was nasty about a friend of his and went on to say (in the link above) "At present there is nothing to suggest that this is anything other than a ‘sensationalised’ story from a national newspaper with little in the way of evidence to support the allegations.

At present I do not see a role for the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in this matter."

Yet in the same e-mail exchange Panel Member Le Troquer wrote;

"If true then there are a lot of explanations to be made……..and I don’t know how anyone will be able explain away such allegations." 

But now, yet more allegations (mentioned in video below) have surfaced, in the form of, what appears to be, an e-mail from a current member of the prison staff, sent to Deputy Montfort Tadier, parts of the State Media, seen by Constable Pallett and others, to include the Home Affairs Minister, which outlines allegations of, what only can be described as, a culture of corruption up at the Prison. We reproduce a redacted version of the e-mail here.

"Dear all,

First I will apologise for sending this information in this way, I do not have the strength to identify myself as I will be subjected to persecution by prison management and will lose my job which […] I cannot afford to do but I cant stay silent anymore.

The story instigated by Theresa Rodrigues is on the whole a fairy tale but it opens up other questions that should be asked.

Rodrigues was suspected investigated and challenged for numerous acts including sexual activity with numerous inmates(not warren) supply of drugs phones and pornographic materials. She was allowed to leave with pension reputation and a pay off from management. 

Officer AA was suspected investigated and found guilty of the same and again was allowed to leave with reputation pension intact and move too another states job

Officer BB found guilty after investigation for supply of drugs   no action taken, still states employee.

Counsellor CC guilty of supplying mobile phones to inmates  no action taken

Civilian DD   guilty of supply of drugs phones and pornographic material.. no action taken

Officer EE   Guilty of having improper relationship with Curtis Warren, passing and smuggling items and mail in and out of prison.  no action taken

Officer FF having affair with inmate..no action taken

The questions asked should be why have all these incidents been covered up by X, ultimately the buck stops with the Governor but it is common knowledge X who runs La Moye and makes the decisions.

Several Officers convicted of violent offences and kept job because of personally protected by X 

The moral in the prison is the lowest by far in the 10+ years I have been there, the management especially X run a regime based on corruption, bullying and lies and deceit."(END)

Readers/viewers/listeners will discover from the questioning in the States (Island's Parliament) this morning it now transpires that Scrutiny Panel Chairman Pallet won't believe allegations from somebody who has "blown the whistle" without anonymity in the "accredited" media (Rodrigues in the Mail). He won't pay attention to anything in the "unaccredited" media and won't take on board the allegations made in the above e-mail because the author of it wants to maintain their anonymity presumably for fear of suffering what is known as "The Jersey Way."

There is little doubt that there is an urgent need for a review to be carried out into the "practices"/policies/procedures at the prison which falls under the remit of the Scrutiny Panel. Yet the Chairman won't believe somebody who DOES waive their anonymity and won't believe somebody who DOESN'T waive their anonymity. He won't believe allegations published in the "accredited" media and won't believe allegations made in the "unaccredited" media.

Steve Pallett should resign forthwith or his Panel should call a vote of no confidence against him. 

Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of Reform Jersey.

Although this Blog has pretty much remained neutral during the current St Helier Districts Number one and two by-election and indeed remains so. We were approached by member of Reform Jersey, Deputy Montfort Tadier, and asked to film a Party Political Broadcast in support of two of its members, and Candidates, Sam Mezec and Nick Le Cornu, to which we agreed.

In the interest of neutrality we will be happy to film similar broadcasts from other candidates should they wish to make contact.

Pre-Poll Voting is still available at St Paul's Centre where you can cast your vote on Monday 3rd of March between 9:am and 2:pm.

Polling Day is on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 where you can cast your vote at St Helier Town Hall for District Number one and at Springfield for District Number 2. Both Polling Stations will be open from 8:am until 8:pm.